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For Tom Henry to win reelection and a record fifth term as mayor, he’ll have to defeat the only person who dealt his only defeat – Tom Didier.
The city has had a Democratic mayor since 2000, but Allen County Republican Party Chairman Steve Shine said Councilman Didier and the GOP candidates who emerged from the primary give him “great confidence” in expanding the party’s majority on the council and recapturing the mayor’s office.
“The numbers from yesterday’s primary support that conclusion,” Shine said Wednesday, noting that more people voted in the Republican primary than the Democratic one.
“The Republican base was far more energized than the Democrat base,” he said.
Meanwhile, Democratic candidates expressed optimism at a primary watch party Tuesday night about delivering a majority of seats on the nine-member City Council.
“Five or six votes on a Democratic-controlled City Council,” party chairman Derek Camp said. “We can do that.”
Rematch of the century
Henry easily defeated Jorge Fernandez in the Democratic primary. But Shine said Fernandez’s level of support – 22% against a longtime incumbent – shows fatigue among Democrats that could lead to lower turnout for Henry in November.
Andy Downs, director emeritus of Purdue University Fort Wayne’s Mike Downs Center for Indiana Politics, said he thinks Henry actually did slightly better than expected considering Fernandez recently ran for a countywide office.
However, Downs expects Didier to pose the biggest challenge Henry has faced in his five mayoral runs.
“This is an opportunity for Tom Henry, in some people’s minds, to undo the loss that happened to him in the 3rd District” in 2003, Downs said, when Didier handed Henry his only political defeat, by 172 votes.
Downs said Arp got into this year’s primary later than Didier and didn’t have the time to put together the sort of campaign that’s necessary to win.
“The fact that Didier won may not be surprising,” Downs said. “The fact that he won by 3,000 votes, that’s perhaps the surprising thing.”
Downs said that strong showing – 64% of the vote – coupled with a robust campaign in the primary shows that Didier is a formidable opponent.
“He’s proving he’s ready to go,” Downs said. “Spring training was good for them, let’s just put it that way.”
Didier has to find a reason to tell people why they shouldn’t elect Henry again other than just voter fatigue, Downs said. He doesn’t think criticism between Didier and Henry will be viewed negatively by voters as both have reputations for being respectful.
Derek Pillie, Didier’s campaign manager, said the candidate will work to contrast his vision for the city with Henry’s record. One big difference would be a move to zero-based budgeting, Pillie said.
“You look at your yearly budget and you start from scratch,” he said. Although budgeting that way would take effort, Pillie said it’s worth it to make sure the city is spending money in the best way possible.
“We can prioritize the different functions of each department, and we can also incorporate new suggestions,” Pillie said.
Having a Republican as mayor would allow Didier to provide oversight over city departments, set clear objectives and be transparent with the public, Pillie said. He contends Henry’s administration hasn’t done so.
Fighting for five
The Fort Wayne City Council has been held by Republicans since 1996. That could change this year, though Shine said he thinks the GOP will actually expand its majority. He said the primary winners are high-quality candidates.
Downs said the council primary results were as expected up and down the ballot. One point of interest was that Martin Bender was the top vote-getter on the uncontested Republican side, even ahead of incumbent Councilman Tom Freistroffer.
The early favorites are Bender, Freistroffer and incumbent Democratic Councilwoman Michelle Chambers, Downs said. But the other three contenders – Luke Fries, Stephanie Crandall and Audrey Davis – are also strong candidates, he said.
In the crucial 4th District, the close margin in Dr. Scott Myers’ win over Joe Townsend was expected because both heavily campaigned, Downs said. On the Democratic side, he said the race was Patti Hays’ to lose.
“And clearly, she did not,” Downs said.
Ultimately, Downs said he expects that contest to come down to which candidate has the most time to go out and personally knock on doors and meet voters.
If the three Democratic incumbents – Chambers, Geoff Paddock and Sharon Tucker – are reelected, the party’s best path to a majority would be winning either all three at-large seats or two citywide spots and the 4th District.
Paddock said his party got “really close” to a majority in 2019, cutting the Republican Party’s advantage from 7-2 to 5-4.
“I think there are a number of opportunities out there,” he said of the general election.
Council members have often worked in a bipartisan manner in recent years, but Paddock said he wants his party to win a majority in order to move certain projects forward without having to rely on Republican support, including development downtown, on the riverfront and at Electric Works
“It’s critical that we have council members that will work with Mayor Henry in order to move those projects forward,” Paddock said.
Tucker said there are several goals Democrats have been unable to achieve as the minority party on the council.
Top among those, in her opinion, is bringing back collective bargaining for city workers.
“That’s one of the primary promises that we’ve committed to over four years ago,” Tucker said. “That’s what we can do with five supportive votes.”
Other Democratic priorities include advancing financial investments in communities around the city, such as city block grants and neighborhood improvement plans. For example, Tucker said some investments on the southeast side have been loans instead of grants. She said Democrats want to invest more while still being fiscally responsible.
“We’ve been very good at getting things done with the council body that we have, but it’s taken a lot of negotiation,” Tucker said.
“And we should, it’s not a bad thing. Negotiation is a good thing. But we’ve had to pare down some of the requests.” | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/local-politics/local-parties-optimistic-for-november-after-primary-results/article_6c1f938c-eaa2-11ed-933b-1b8c99c1ed56.html | 2023-05-06T04:50:20 | 0 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/local-politics/local-parties-optimistic-for-november-after-primary-results/article_6c1f938c-eaa2-11ed-933b-1b8c99c1ed56.html |
As John McGauley set up his recording equipment in early April, he reassured the four people joining him for the podcast that mistakes happen and can be edited out. The host, he assured them, usually makes the first mistake.
About 10 minutes into the podcast, he proved himself right. McGauley, the court executive for Allen Superior Court, verbally stumbled over a question, then simply started over after joking about it.
McGauley was interviewing people from CASA, the Court Appointed Special Advocate program where volunteers represent children in the court system. The recording would become the 14th episode of “INSession,” the podcast he started in October for Allen County Superior Court.
McGauley is the newest entrant in a growing local government podcasting scene. Others include Mayor Tom Henry, the Fort Wayne Police Department and Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation.
Officials say they’ve embraced podcasts because they’re a popular and inexpensive way to reach an audience with information not usually covered in other media. The hosts do it as part of their jobs or as volunteers. The only recurring cost of offering a podcast is a subscription for someplace to host it, usually SoundCloud at $120, the podcasters said. The equipment they use varies, depending on what they have available and what they can afford.
Although it’s easy to launch a podcast, McGauley, who handles the court system’s social media, didn’t start immediately.
He had been considering podcast for years but thought it was “a little off-the-wall for government,” especially for the court system. Then at the Conference of Court Public Information Officers last summer, he met peers doing something similar in YouTube channels and TikTok videos.
McGauley said he realized, “OK, the podcast idea isn’t crazy after all.”
Many of his episodes discuss how to use the courts and where people can find what they need.
“It’s a heck of a lot easier to serve the public if the public is familiar with what we do,” he said. “I think people are eager to understand how government works. That’s why we’re doing this.”
Podcasts popular
People are becoming more interested in numerous podcast subjects, based on recent numbers.
“The Podcast Consumer 2023” report from Edison Research said that 64% of the U.S. population 12 years and older – an estimated 120 million people – has listened to a podcast. In 2006, only 11% had listened to one, but 55% had by 2020.
Among regular podcast listeners, 42% listened to an episode in the last month, and 31% listened to one in the past week. The majority are in the 12-34 age demographic, and they tend to be more affluent and better educated than others their age, according to Edison Research’s website. The Edison, New Jersey-based company conducts research for elections and companies, and its Infinite Dial series focuses on media-related technologies.
Like “INSession,” most other local government podcasts began as ways to inform people about programs, policies and procedures.
However, Fort Wayne Police Sgt. Jeremy Webb and retired Fort Wayne Police Lt. Jonathan Bowers planned initially to launch “Blue and YOU” in January 2022 as an internal communication for officers.
Bowers said patrol officers don’t often interact with those higher up or in specialized departments, and the new officers don’t know department history. Their goal wasn’t to make something issue-driven but to introduce people to the new recruits.
“My initial thought was there’s a lot of experience retiring,” he said. “How can the department connect itself?”
They put the episodes on SoundCloud for hosting. “Quickly it got shared outside the department,” Bowers said.
Now they direct episodes at officers and the public.
“It goes a long way (toward) building rapport both in the department and outside,” Bowers said.
The 18 episodes of “Blue and YOU” have covered diverse subjects, including permitless carry for guns, the police bike unit and using drones. They plan the May episode to be about women in law enforcement, talking to new and veteran female officers.
They also interview people outside law enforcement. One guest was Dr. Matt Runyan with Parkview Behavioral Health. Runyan talked about the challenges of dealing with mental health and the legal landscape, about trauma and about the need for human connection to overcome addiction.
Unlike the police department, the city parks and recreation department didn’t create “Fort Wayne Parks Podcast” to target a specific audience. Instead, the podcast promotes the department’s programs, events and festivals, said Steve McDaniel, city parks director.
“Parks and recreation does such a wide variety of things, it was an opportunity to get the word out,” McDaniel said.
Episodes also offer behind-the-scenes insights with employees, such as talking about trees with the city arborist, he said. Gary Whitacre, manager of golf operations, is also a recurring guest.
McDaniel has been director for five years, but doing the podcast showed him there are things he didn’t know.
“If I learn something new, I guess our listeners learn something, too,” he said.
Since June 2020, parks staff has produced at least one podcast a month, sometimes two, said April McCampbell, the department’s communications manager and podcast producer.
The longest running local government podcast appears to be “The Mayor Tom Henry Podcast.” The monthly installments started April 16, 2018, according to a statement from his office. About 95 episodes are available.
Topics have included the YLNI Farmer’s Market, the 2020 census, and various local parks and attractions.
“We recognize that social media is a way for us to reach more people,” Henry said. “It’s also a great way for me to introduce local leaders and their important duties to our podcast followers, who may not otherwise know about all of the unique aspects of Fort Wayne.”
Along with informing the public, Henry said, the podcast shows his administration’s commitment to engagement, innovations and performance.
Who’s listening?
Webb said most “Blue and YOU” listeners are Fort Wayne residents. However, some are from Indianapolis, Warsaw and as far as Canada.
Some topics anyone can relate to, he said. Discussions about guns get a lot of listeners, but the episode on drones really took off.
“It’s still the most listened-to podcast (episode),” he said.
When Webb has been on police recruitment panels, he has heard candidates mention the podcast.
“I know there’s been some new recruits that have listened to it, but I don’t know how much influence it had,” Webb said.
McGauley said “INSession” has about 1,200 listeners. Most are local, but some are in other parts of the country. However, a dozen or two come from other countries, based on logs.
He isn’t sure why people abroad would be interested. Some apparent overseas traffic could just be bouncing off servers in another country, McGauley said.
Episodes about Allen County Drug Court and mortgage foreclosure received the most connections. The “Appeals on Wheels” podcast got a lot of attention because officials on the state level shared a link, and the CASA episode had 68 listeners in its first 16 days.
That’s brisker than average usage, McGauley said, and it might be because Cindy Verduce, recruitment and training specialist for CASA, shared it on social media.
Verduce and volunteers Karen Petersen, Mike Hardiek and Natasha Andrews hoped appearing on “INSession” would help recruit needed CASA volunteers. Petersen said she directed a prospective volunteer to the “INSession” episode, and it answered a lot of that person’s initial questions.
Parks and Rec doesn’t track its listeners, but audience numbers vary with the topics, McDaniel said. He just hopes listeners are entertained, and he encourages them to make topic requests.
Whitacre, the golf operations manager, said he knows the podcast is effective because people come up to him and mention his appearances.
McCampbell, the parks department’s communications manager, said podcasts are effective because they allow people to listen at their convenience, in their car or on a mobile device.
McGauley agreed and included people who tune in while exercising.
“We need to go where the public is listening,” he said. | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/local-politics/to-reach-residents-more-local-governments-are-using-podcasts/article_c3d335d2-ea1d-11ed-b060-5b657698a592.html | 2023-05-06T04:50:27 | 1 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/local-politics/to-reach-residents-more-local-governments-are-using-podcasts/article_c3d335d2-ea1d-11ed-b060-5b657698a592.html |
Old National Foundation, a nonprofit created by Old National Bank, has awarded grants to seven Fort Wayne nonprofits.
The recipients:
• Amani Family Services – $50,000
• St Vincent DePaul Society of Fort Wayne – $50,000
• League for the Blind and Disabled – $10,000
• The Literacy Alliance – $10,000
• Turnstone Center for Disabled Children and Adults – $10,000
• YWCA Northeast Indiana – $10,000
• Early Childhood Alliance – $5,000 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/old-national-foundation-awards-grants/article_3ca590ca-ead4-11ed-a930-a3457007a03e.html | 2023-05-06T04:50:33 | 0 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/old-national-foundation-awards-grants/article_3ca590ca-ead4-11ed-a930-a3457007a03e.html |
Piggyback ride May 5, 2023 54 min ago Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Rachel Ivy carries her son Anthony, 4, home from Fairfield Elementary School on a sunny, pleasant Friday afternoon. Stan Sussina | The Journal Gazette Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Piggyback ride Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Most Popular Jay Leonard, founder of Preferred Auto Group, dies at 61 Allen County primary election results Henry, Didier nominated in Fort Wayne mayor's race Former Bishop Luers teacher accused of sexual relationships with 3 students Missing 14-year-old identified as victim of April fatal crash Stocks Market Data by TradingView | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/piggyback-ride/article_59a768aa-eb9d-11ed-a962-1b66b0a9da27.html | 2023-05-06T04:50:39 | 1 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/piggyback-ride/article_59a768aa-eb9d-11ed-a962-1b66b0a9da27.html |
The chart lists crimes through May 1 investigated by the Fort Wayne Police Department including burglary, robbery and thefts from vehicles. An attempted robbery or burglary is classified as an actual robbery or burglary, respectively. The listed addresses are those where crimes were reported and are not necessarily where the crimes occurred.
Sector 11
4/27/23 Midnight Theft from vehicle 1400 Cass St.
5/1/23 4:26 p.m. Robbery 4200 Coldwater Road
Sector 13
4/26/23 Midnight Theft from vehicle 800 Coliseum Blvd. W.
Sector 15
4/28/23 10:35 p.m. Robbery 6500 Lima Road
Sector 21
4/27/23 5:28 a.m. Burglary 3100 E. State Blvd.
4/27/23 6 a.m. Burglary 3800 E. State Blvd.
4/27/23 7:30 a.m. Theft from vehicle 1900 St. Joseph Blvd.
Sector 22
4/26/23 4:55 a.m. Burglary 2000 N. Coliseum Blvd.
4/27/23 2 a.m. Burglary 2200 Maplecrest Road
Sector 23
4/26/23 10:23 p.m. Burglary 6500 E. State Blvd.
4/26/23 11 p.m. Burglary 2700 Maplecrest Road
Sector 24
4/26/23 5:18 a.m. Burglary 6200 Stellhorn Road
4/26/23 11 p.m. Burglary 3100 St. Joe Center Road
4/27/23 12:17 a.m. Burglary 6000 Stellhorn Road
4/29/23 8:11 p.m. Theft from vehicle 6000 Stellhorn Road
4/30/23 4 a.m. Theft from vehicle 2800 Northgate Blvd.
Sector 25
4/26/23 1:50 a.m. Burglary 3900 Beaverbrook Drive
Sector 28
4/25/23 1:15 p.m. Theft from vehicle 5500 Meijer Drive
Sector 32
4/25/23 7:30 p.m. Theft from vehicle 3400 Webster St.
Sector 35
4/28/23 6:53 a.m. Burglary 5900 Fairfield Ave.
Sector 37
4/25/23 Midnight Theft from vehicle 6500 Bluffton Road
4/27/23 8:49 a.m. Burglary 2900 Lower Huntington Road
Sector 38
5/1/23 8:42 a.m. Burglary 4600 Kekionga Drive
Sector 41
4/25/23 10 p.m. Theft from vehicle 1200 Summit St.
4/27/23 1 a.m. Theft from vehicle 1100 E. Wayne St.
Sector 43
4/26/23 Midnight Theft from vehicle 2700 Abbott St.
4/28/23 2:27 p.m. Burglary 2900 McCormick Ave.
Sector 44
4/29/23 Midnight Theft from vehicle 3600 Bowser Ave.
4/30/23 4 a.m. Theft from vehicle 3900 S. Barr St.
5/1/23 4:48 a.m. Theft from vehicle 800 E. Rudisill Blvd.
Sector 45
4/25/23 6 p.m. Theft from vehicle 800 McKinnie Ave.
Sector 48
4/27/23 4:55 p.m. Burglary 7900 Serenity Drive
4/28/23 2 p.m. Burglary 5800 Turtle Creek Drive
4/28/23 11:36 p.m. Theft from vehicle 2800 Ridgeway Drive
Sector 62
4/30/23 2:09 a.m. Burglary 800 Timberlake Trail | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/police-fire/crime-reports/crime-reports/article_87b3b1e6-eae3-11ed-b327-232747703376.html | 2023-05-06T04:50:45 | 1 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/police-fire/crime-reports/crime-reports/article_87b3b1e6-eae3-11ed-b327-232747703376.html |
María Sánchez talks with attendees at Union Street Market’s Cinco de Mayo festivities Friday as she works her table selling bags handcrafted by her family in Mexico. The market at Electric Works featured live music and dancing to mark the annual celebration of Mexican-American culture. | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/smiles-on-cinco-de-mayo-at-union-street-market/article_5ecd8d70-eb91-11ed-a758-d35fb69872b2.html | 2023-05-06T04:50:51 | 1 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/smiles-on-cinco-de-mayo-at-union-street-market/article_5ecd8d70-eb91-11ed-a758-d35fb69872b2.html |
Fort Wayne/ Allen County
Lunch on Square plans return
Lunch on the Square is returning for its 15th season downtown for 14 consecutive weeks this summer.
The event is presented by Downtown Fort Wayne and Edward Jones. Musical performances and food trucks will be at Freimann Square from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. every Thursday in June, July and August.
Lunch Means More, an initiative to support a local nonprofit, will be integrated into the event for the second year. Barnes & Thornburg LLP will match 15% of the sales from a weekly featured food provider at the event.
The featured business will rotate each week and be announced publicly on social media @downtownfortwayne.
The law firm and Downtown Fort Wayne will present a check for the total amount raised during the season.
For more information, go to LunchOnTheSquare.com.
Officer memorial to be held Friday
The Police Officer Memorial Ceremony honoring law enforcement who have died on duty is set for Friday.
The event will begin with a ceremony at 11 a.m. at the Law Enforcement/Firefighters Memorial at 1001 N. Wells St., next to the Historic Wells Street Bridge.
This will be the 20th year the Fort Wayne community has honored fallen officers with the event.
– Journal Gazette | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/weekly-lunch-on-the-square-events-to-return-june-1/article_4623e504-eb81-11ed-9fb1-efd88228f37c.html | 2023-05-06T04:50:58 | 1 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/weekly-lunch-on-the-square-events-to-return-june-1/article_4623e504-eb81-11ed-9fb1-efd88228f37c.html |
SAN ANTONIO — Students at Southwest ISD will not be allowed to bring backpacks to school starting Monday as a precaution to reduce the chances of someone bringing weapons onto campus.
The district informed parents through a letter on Thursday about the updated policy and released a video last week explaining what led to the decision. Backpacks are banned through the remainder of the school year.
In the video, the district cites an increase in fake social media threats.
Axel Reyes, a 6th grader at Scobee Middle School, recalls hearing about the Instagram post that threatened to bring a gun to school a couple weeks ago.
Scobee Middle School Principal Jorge Cruz stated in a letter to parents that no weapon was found on campus and the students responsible were found in coordination with law enforcement.
Priscilla Sanchez, a mother of a pre-k student is on board with the no backpack policy.
“There’s some sketchy kids these days, irresponsible kids,” Sanchez said. “Anything for the safety of my child.”
“We understand this may inconvenience some students, but this new policy is necessary to reduce the risk of dangerous items being brought onto campus,” reads a letter to parents.
Permitted bags include:
● Small bags and/or clutches - 5.5” x 8.5” or smaller
● Clear Bags – (Plastic, vinyl, or PVC) 12” x 6” x 12”
● 1-Gallon Clear Freezer Bag – (Ziploc bag or similar) 12” x 12” or smaller
Southwest ISD also encourages parents to speak with their children about the importance of not bringing weapons on campus, even if they’re toys because doing so can result in disciplinary action.
Anonymous tips can be provided through Southwest ISD’s online portal regarding safety concerns. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/southwest-isd-bans-backpacks/273-a5d5b3a9-19ec-4e2b-b62c-5acb3a77eaa7 | 2023-05-06T04:56:05 | 0 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/southwest-isd-bans-backpacks/273-a5d5b3a9-19ec-4e2b-b62c-5acb3a77eaa7 |
CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. — The Punta Gorda Police Department said that the students of Chief Davis’ Youth Advisory Council wanted to bring awareness of the dangers of drinking and driving to the students. Prom is this weekend for Charlotte High School and next week for Port Charlotte High School.
Prompt Towing assisted in this project as they provided a crashed car to be placed at Charlotte High last week. The car is now at Port Charlotte High to educate the students on the dangers of drinking and driving.
“I hope that they listen, that’s the only thing we need,” said Kiki Theodat who works at the cafeteria at Port Charlotte High School.
Punta Gorda Police say they don’t want to see another life lost due to this senseless act of drinking and driving. | https://nbc-2.com/news/local/charlotte-county/2023/05/05/punta-gorda-police-and-youth-advisory-council-team-up-to-educate-students-on-drinking-and-driving/ | 2023-05-06T04:56:36 | 1 | https://nbc-2.com/news/local/charlotte-county/2023/05/05/punta-gorda-police-and-youth-advisory-council-team-up-to-educate-students-on-drinking-and-driving/ |
PINE BLUFF, Ark. — Like many entrepreneurs are finding out, a big and oftentimes expensive office space isn't always necessary these days.
Travis Mosler is a business owner in Pine Bluff.
"I own and operate an advertising and marketing agency," Mosler said. "I had an office space, but after a pandemic, most of my workers are contract and remote."
It's why he is ending the lease of his current office and opening a co-working space called Worxstation.
The building is an old car dealership on Olive Street in Pine Bluff.
Mosler told us people can pay $25 a day to use the renovated space or a $195 membership.
He added the space is an example of the amount of opportunity that exists in Pine Bluff for new business owners.
"Unless you're a billion dollar company, opportunity doesn't really look like Northwest Arkansas; it looks like Pine Bluff, Arkansas," Mosler said.
Because this is a first of its kind in the city, he believes it would add to the overall growth of the city.
He's already receiving interest.
He plans to open by this summer. | https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/pine-bluff-to-get-new-co-working-space/91-95a8425c-419e-42f3-ae72-b2827cdc67c7 | 2023-05-06T05:04:31 | 0 | https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/pine-bluff-to-get-new-co-working-space/91-95a8425c-419e-42f3-ae72-b2827cdc67c7 |
EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP — Atlantic Christian School will host its annual Legacy Gala fundraiser May 12 at the Ocean City Tabernacle. This year's event will feature family-friendly, faith-based comedian Jeff Allen.
Allen has appeared on "America’s Got Talent," Comedy Central, Dry Bar Comedy and more.
“We’re very excited to be bringing Mr. Allen to share his quick wit and humorous perspective on situations that come out of everyday life," Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen said. "It’s sure to be an enjoyable evening for the whole family.”
The night includes a silent auction of dining and shopping certificates, destination experiences, food baskets and more. Proceeds from the event will benefit the school's Tuition Assistance Grant Fund, which provides tuition discounts to qualifying families.
Doors for the event will open at 6:30 p.m. with the evening's program beginning at 7:15 p.m. Tickets start at $55. VIP tickets are $150 and include premium seating, a meet-and-greet with Jeff Allen, and an appetizer and dessert reception starting at 5:30 p.m.
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For tickets or more information, call 609-653-1199, ext. 302, or visit acseht.org/LegacyGala. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/atlantic-christian-school-to-host-fundraiser-featuring-comedian-jeff-allen/article_d62c5f4e-ea98-11ed-b0bd-b33274022914.html | 2023-05-06T05:11:05 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/atlantic-christian-school-to-host-fundraiser-featuring-comedian-jeff-allen/article_d62c5f4e-ea98-11ed-b0bd-b33274022914.html |
Mike Trout, 31, a 2009 Millville High School graduate, is a center fielder with the Los Angeles Angels and was the 2014, 2016 and 2019 American League MVP.
Thursday: Did not play in the Angels’ 11-7 victory in the series finale at St. Louis.
Friday: Went 2 for 4 with an intentional walk and drove in a run in a 10-inning, 5-4 win over the visiting Rangers. Los Angeles scored three in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings. He batted second and played center field.
Saturday: Nathan Eovaldi (3-2, 3.93) is scheduled to start the 9:07 p.m. game for the Rangers. Trout is hitting .353 (6 for 17) with two RBIs against him.
Stats: Trout is hitting .303 (36 for 119) with eight home runs, 20 RBIs and 23 runs scored in 30 games. He has walked 16 times and struck out 37 times. His on-base percentage is .396, his OPS .976. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/daily-mike-trout-report-angels-rally-in-9th-beat-rangers-in-10th/article_69583baa-eb82-11ed-93f2-5b6dce6ca95e.html | 2023-05-06T05:11:36 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/daily-mike-trout-report-angels-rally-in-9th-beat-rangers-in-10th/article_69583baa-eb82-11ed-93f2-5b6dce6ca95e.html |
Winning pitcher Ava Fisher went 3 for 4 with a double and her ninth homer of the season, and drove in five runs to lead the St. Joseph Academy softball team to a 10-0 victory over Vineland in a Cape-Atlantic League American Division game Friday.
Fisher gave up four hits in the six-inning game with 10 strikeouts and one walk.
Alaina Dorsey and Abby Willis each went 3 for 4 for visiting St. Joseph (12-4), which is No. 11 in The Press Elite 11. Isabella Davis doubled and Jenna Calchi was 1 for 3 with two RBIs.
For Vineland (7-7), Morgan Harrell-Alvarez, Leah Mears, Victoria Negron and Natalie Ponce each had a hit.
Vineland fell to 7-7.
Ocean City 12, Wildwood Catholic Academy 1: O.C. pitcher Jessica Mooney allowed three hits in the five-inning game, with eight strikeouts and two walks.
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Mooney went 2 for 4 with two doubles and three RBIs. MacKenzee Segich was 4 for 4 with four runs and an RBI, and Anna McCabe, Taylor Vaugh and Gabrielle Bowen each scored two runs.
The Red Raiders improved to 10-6, and Wildwood Catholic dropped to 2-8. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/ava-fisher-pitches-st-joseph-softball-past-vineland-fridays-roundup/article_d341b668-eb96-11ed-b4a7-7f90fa6bbd39.html | 2023-05-06T05:11:42 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/ava-fisher-pitches-st-joseph-softball-past-vineland-fridays-roundup/article_d341b668-eb96-11ed-b4a7-7f90fa6bbd39.html |
Give Local York 2023 raises over $4.58 million on this big day of philanthropy
Give Local York raised more than $4.58 million during its 2023 campaign, which ran for 24 hours Thursday and Friday. In all, more than 12,500 donors gave over 22,500 gifts to 330 nonprofit organizations.
The York County Food Bank was the top fundraiser, with more than $131,000, followed by Human Life Services, with over $119,000.
Rounding out the top 10 fundraisers were:
Jessica & Friends Community
Eichelberger Performing Arts Center
York County SPCA
Affordable Housing Advocates
LifePath Christian Ministries
Pappus House
York County History Center
Christian School of York
Last year, the total was $4,173,330 from 10,767 donors.
Give Local York is the largest one-day giving event in York County. The effort is hosted by the White Rose Leadership Institute, led by Meagan Given, and presented by Giant Food Stores. | https://www.ydr.com/story/news/local/2023/05/05/give-local-york-raises-more-than-4-57-million/70183069007/ | 2023-05-06T05:17:00 | 1 | https://www.ydr.com/story/news/local/2023/05/05/give-local-york-raises-more-than-4-57-million/70183069007/ |
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — In the wake of an alarming study from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), residents of the 29th Street & Grove area are asking how this could have gone under the radar for more than 30 years.
“It hurt. It hurt like mad,” Treatha Brown-Foster with the Northeast Millair Neighborhood Association said.
Brown-Foster says she’s worked on several community development projects in the area of 29th & Grove over the years—she only found out last September many of those projects were built on contaminated land.
“There’s no way in the world that they could not give us this information to us sooner than now,” Brown-Foster said.
Living near the impacted area since 1985, James Roseboro says given how the area has developed since then, he’s concerned someone knew about this since the 90s and failed to take action.
“Somebody had to do studies there. So I’m thinking something was hid somewhere along the line,” Roseboro said.
Aujanae Bennett, who grew up in the area, says her father died of cancer that spread to his liver. She says discovering contaminated groundwater could have played a role in his death is a devastating blow.
“It saddens me. It angers me. It gives me mixed emotions. When I find out that someone, someone in the legislature knew, yet they said nothing,” Bennett said.
Despite the KDHE’s findings, residents we spoke to are confident city, county and state officials will work to resolve this issue and want someone held accountable.
“Now that we all are aware of it, I’m hoping that we now get some justice and that we make sure that no one else has to die because of the water,” resident Lavonta Williams said. | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/area-residents-speak-out-after-kdhe-releases-alarming-study-for-environmental-site/ | 2023-05-06T05:20:34 | 0 | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/area-residents-speak-out-after-kdhe-releases-alarming-study-for-environmental-site/ |
NEHALEM, Ore. — Several scaleless fish with fanged jaws and huge eyes that can be found more than a mile deep in the ocean have washed up along a roughly 200-mile (322-kilometer) stretch of Oregon coastline, and it's unclear why, scientists and experts said.
Within the last few weeks, several lancetfish have appeared on beaches from Nehalem, in northern Oregon, to Bandon, which is about 100 miles (161 kilometers) from the California border, Oregon State Parks said on Facebook. The agency asked beachgoers who see the fish to take photos and post them online, tagging the agency and the NOAA Fisheries West Coast region.
Lancetfish live mainly in tropical and subtropical waters but travel as far north as areas like Alaska’s Bering Sea to feed. Their slinky bodies include a “sail-like” fin, and their flesh is gelatinous — not generally something humans wish to eat, according to NOAA Fisheries.
Ben Frable, a fish scientist who manages the Marine Vertebrate Collection at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego, said it's not uncommon for lancetfish to wash up on beaches, particularly in California and Oregon and in other parts of the north Pacific.
It's unclear what might be behind the deep-sea fish washing ashore, Frable said, calling it an area of “open research." He added that it's not clear if these incidents are happening more frequently or are just noticed more often in the social media age.
Reports of finding the “freaky looking” lancetfish on beaches date back to the 19th century, he said. The collection he manages includes lancetfish from beaches, including one that wound up on the beach near the institution in late 2021.
In that case, the lancetfish “shot out of the water,” where it was mobbed by seagulls, Frable said. It's possible the fish had been chasing prey, such as small fish, and got too close to shore — or that it was pursued by a predator, such as a sea lion, he said.
Some have also hypothesized that such incidents could be related to weather or climate patterns in the Pacific Ocean, he said.
According to NOAA Fisheries, lancetfish can be more than 7 feet (2 meter) long and swim to depths of more than a mile beneath the surface of the sea.
Last week, Miranda Crowell happened across a lancetfish on a beach in Lincoln City, Oregon. At first, she thought it might be a barracuda but that didn’t seem right, so she posted a photo of it on Twitter and asked what it could be. She quickly got a response.
The fish, which she saw April 28, was more than 4 feet (1 meter) long and seemed to have just washed ashore.
“I have never seen anything like that on that beach,” she said.
Frable encouraged people to report any sightings, saying it could provide useful information for researchers.
He also said that incidents like these provide an opportunity “to kind of highlight the true diversity of life on the planet and how there are things that you just don’t think about — but they're out there.” | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/north-coast/oregon-coast-fanged-fish-lancetfish-washed-up/283-f1c01921-4ba3-4f57-ace6-458195379aca | 2023-05-06T05:28:29 | 0 | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/north-coast/oregon-coast-fanged-fish-lancetfish-washed-up/283-f1c01921-4ba3-4f57-ace6-458195379aca |
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Contact Us | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/community-sends-their-farewells-to-the-young-lives-lost-after-amtrak-crash/3560842/ | 2023-05-06T05:40:49 | 1 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/community-sends-their-farewells-to-the-young-lives-lost-after-amtrak-crash/3560842/ |
Phillies' swoon continues with 5-3 loss to Red Sox originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Managers don’t have to tell you how critical they believe any given game is during the course of the longest season. They give that insight away by their strategic decisions.
Phillies manager Rob Thomson may have maintained his normal outward poker face Friday night in a 5-3 loss to the Red Sox at Citizens Bank Park, but his even-more-than-usual urgency to pick up a W came through loud and clear just two batters into the proceedings.
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After Red Sox rightfielder Raimel Tapia led off the game by reaching second on a fielding error by leftfielder Kyle Schwarber and then advanced to third on an infield out, Thomson showed his cards by pulling the infield in in an effort to cut off the run with Justin Turner at the plate.
That’s not why the Phillies have now lost a season-high five straight, though.
They scored three or fewer runs for the 16th time in 33 games this season. But that’s not why they lost, either.
Local
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
Schwarber pinned the blame on himself for not catching Tapia’s drove into the gap, even though he nearly collided with centerfielder Dalton Guthrie on the play.
“For me, it goes back to that first inning where I didn’t catch that ball,” he said. “If I do, it could have been a different ballgame. I called it first. It was in my glove and it had to stay there. I have to be better.”
Nope, that’s not it.
The Phillies are in their worst tailspin since going 0-4 to open the season largely because during this streak, one time around the rotation, their starters have a combined 9.53 earned run average while giving up 36 hits in 22 2/3 innings.
Facing a Red Sox team that has now won seven straight, Zack Wheeler didn’t stink up the joint. He gave up five runs, four earned, in his 5 1/3 innings against a lineup that had averaged almost eight runs a game during their previous six wins. But he knows he has to be better.
“It’s definitely not how I wanted it to go,” he said. “But it’s baseball. It’s frustrating. And I’ve just got to go out and get them next time. That just wasn’t a good game for me. I was pulling a lot of fastballs. Something was just a little off. I couldn’t pinpoint what it was. Fastball command was off.”
If there’s a silver lining, Wheeler said he’s certain his problem was mechanical instead of physical.”
What made it especially upsetting was that the righthander understood that ending the losing streak was a priority. “I kind of pride myself on coming in and shutting that down,” he said. “So that’s probably one of the most frustrating things out of this game. That I wasn’t able to stop that.”
Thomson’s strategy in the first inning worked. Sort of. Wheeler struck out Turner for the second out. But with the infield back at normal depth, Rafael Devers drove in Tapia with a clean single to right.
The Phillies finished April with a 15-14 record. That’s a little underwhelming for a team coming off a trip to the World Series. Still, as designated hitter Bryce Harper has frequently pointed out, 15 wins a month is a worthy milestone since it adds up to 90 victories over the course of a season.
With the end of the first week in May quickly approaching, that means the Phillies need to win only, let’s see, well, 15 more this month to reach that quota.
RHP Corey Kluber (1-4, 6.44) will start for the Red Sox Saturday night against LHP Bailey Falter (0-5, 5.01). First pitch is scheduled for 7:15.
It will be Boston RHP Tanner Houck (3-1, 5.34) vs. RHP Tijuan Walker (2-2, 6.91) in the series finale.
With an off day Monday, Matt Strahm will be skipped over this time around the rotation so Aaron Nola and Wheeler can pitch on regular rest against the visiting Blue Jays Tuesday and Wednesday. Strahm is available out of the bullpen.
SCARY SIGHT
Play was delayed for approximately 10 minutes in the top of the first inning after an unidentified fan fell into the visitor’s bullpen. Red Sox relievers appeared distraught as medics raced from both dugouts to administer treatment.
According to the Phillies, he was leaning over the fence and reaching for a baseball that landed in the flower bed after it was thrown in his direction.
He was taken to Jefferson Hospital for further evaluation but was “conscious and responsive” when leaving the ballpark according to the Phillies. No further updates were provided after the game. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/phillies-swoon-continues-with-5-3-loss-to-red-sox-amid-rough-pitching-patch/3560827/ | 2023-05-06T05:40:55 | 1 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/phillies-swoon-continues-with-5-3-loss-to-red-sox-amid-rough-pitching-patch/3560827/ |
Miss the Visalia City Council meeting? Here's a recap
Looking for more information about what happened during this week’s city council meeting?
Here’s a recap of what you may have missed:
Civic Center
Before the scheduled meeting, city council members held a work session surrounding Phase 2 of the Visalia Civic Center Project. City engineers gave a presentation, including the project’s preliminary cost projections, schematics and the latest building renderings.
The estimated cost for phase 2, which includes design fees, project management, site work, the extension of utilities, building construction, permits, fees and inspections, is $107 million; however, city staff is still looking at potential cost-cutting alternatives.
Council members unanimously approved moving forward with the schematic design phase. The Civic Center will have a “Mission Inspired” architectural style and will be home to future city council meetings.
Short-term rentals
City council members also listened to a presentation on the city’s municipal code and potential updates regarding Short-Term Rentals.
A short-term rental is a residential dwelling or portion of a residential dwelling that is rented to a person(s) for 30 consecutive days or less. Some examples include Airbnb and VRBO.
Ultimately, council members voted 4-1 to direct staff to draft a Short-Term Rental ordinance, including the following requirements:
- Limit the number of Short-Term Rentals allowed in the city of Visalia.
- Establish an application and registration/verification process.
- Require that the property owner of the Short-Term Rental reside in the unit.
- Transient Occupancy Tax Registration.
- Parking requirements.
- Establishing quiet hours.
- Limiting the use of a Short-Term Rental.
- Limiting the number of occupants in a Short-Term Rental.
- Establish the suspension/revocation process for Short-Term Rentals.
Consent Calendar
Visalia City Council members unanimously voted to accept the agenda’s consent calendar — with the exception of items No. 2 and No. 3 — meaning no discussion on the calendar’s contents occurred.
The two items were pulled by community members looking for more details surrounding the proposed police department purchases.
The first item council members approved was an amendment to Measure N that would cover Visalia Police Department costs for patrol cars and body-worn cameras. The cost of the equipment is $63,300.
Council members also approved renewing a five-year contract for $1.73 million with Axon Enterprise Inc. for its body-worn camera program.
The second pulled item was approved by council members allows the police department to convert one police officer position into two community service officer positions. Although the move isn’t cost motivated, the switch will save the city $14,700.
City council members approved a notice of completion for the Walnut and Murray Project, part of the city’s 2018/19 Major Street Rehabilitation Project.
One portion of the project consisted of paving Walnut Avenue from Central to Court and Murray Avenue from Dudley to Encina. The second portion of the project resolved the subsidence in front of a residence at 3427 E. Paradise Avenue.
Council members approved the vacation and abandonment of the easement for storm drain pipeline maintenance “as it is no longer necessary.”
City council members also accepted a recommendation made by the Visalia Parks and Recreation Commission to appropriate $48,250 donated by the Harrell Family Trust, creating a Capital Improvement Project to enhance Harrell Grove Park.
Improvements to the park will include the addition of outdoor fitness equipment as well as irrigation improvements.
Council members approved City Manager Leslie Caviglia to award JC’s Land Management of Kingsburg an annual contract for around $178,000.
The previous landscape contract expired on May 31 and has been on a month-to-month basis with a temporary contractor, awaiting the award of a new formal landscape maintenance contract.
Caviglia was also authorized to execute an agreement with the Workforce Investment Board of Tulare County to continue its Transitional Jobs Program.
The program benefits the community through clean-up and recycling opportunities and supports Visalia’s houseless through job training.
The contract, funded by the Solid Waste Enterprise Fund, is $230,000.
Council members also authorized Caviglia to enter into a contract with Truxell & Valentino Landscape Development Inc. for $298,450 for the Houston Roundabout Landscaping and Maintenance Access Project.
“The purpose behind the development of this project is to enhance the aesthetics of the area by creating a beautified focal point and enhance safety by breaking headlight glare through the roundabout of oncoming vehicles,” the agenda packet reads. “The landscaping would also enhance safety through indirectly lowering vehicle speeds by reducing excess sight distance and discouraging pedestrian traffic through the roundabout island.”
Construction for the project will begin in June and wrap up in August.
Caviglia was also athorized to amend and increase the existing Uniform and Laundry contract awarded to Unifirst Corporation.
“The calculated and awarded contract amount was too low due to a miscalculation by staff regarding the quantity of uniforms billed per week,” the agenda packet reads.
The cost for the first year is $52,800.
City council members also approved the airport staff’s recommendation, allowing Caviglia to enter into a contract amendment with Brandley Engineering for $130,000.
To be fully qualified for Federal Aviation Administration funding, Visalia Airport is required to have two key projects completed.
The first project is an updated Airport Layout Plan, which began in November 2021 and is expected to wrap up this summer. The second project is a Pavement Maintenance Management Plan. The project, once authorized, is expected to take one and a half years.
Caviglia was also authorized to award a sole source contract to Telstar Instruments Company, Inc. for $400,000 annually for the Instrumentation and Electrical Services and Maintenance and Repair of the city’s Water Reclamation Facility and Collection System.
Regular Items, Public Hearings
The city then held a public hearing surrounding the proposed expansion of Visalia’s Public Cemetery.
The chambers were filled as community members waited for an opportunity for their voices to be heard; the majority of those who spoke Monday night, including Supervisor Eddie Valero and Visalia Unified School District Trustee Randy Villegas, were against the expansion, citing a range of concerns.
More:Will Visalia City Council prioritize dead over the living after public outcry?
Ultimately, council members voted 3-2 to send the proposal back to the planning commission staff, giving the public an opportunity to attend a cemetery district board meeting at the end of May.
City council members then held a public hearing regarding a proposed change to the city’s municipal code to include an Agricultural Land Preservation ordinance.
Vice Mayor Taylor recused himself from the item to avoid a potential conflict of interest.
The proposed project applies to citywide properties within the Urban Growth Boundary Tiers II and III established by the Visalia General Plan. Local farmers and agricultural groups wrote to council members and voiced concerns about the ordinance, arguing it could hinder economic development in town.
“It’s not an easy decision, I wish we could all be on the same page in our challenge for conservation,” Tulare County Farm Bureau Executive Director Tricia Stever Blattler said. “I think private property ownership and protecting the ability to farm is a much more important idea that we should all get behind to work to make California a place that supports farmers farming.”
Councilmember Steve Nelsen said although he is against ag mitigation, he noted the city is “being held hostage.” Ultimately, council members passed the ordinance 4-0-1.
The Visalia City Council meets again at 7 p.m. on May 15 in the Visalia City Council Chambers. | https://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/story/news/local/2023/05/05/miss-the-visalia-city-council-meeting-heres-a-recap/70164971007/ | 2023-05-06T05:44:24 | 1 | https://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/story/news/local/2023/05/05/miss-the-visalia-city-council-meeting-heres-a-recap/70164971007/ |
TWIN FALLS — James O. “Jim” White, 76, former longtime resident of Twin Falls, passed away May 4, 2023 at a care center in Boise, Idaho. Memorial Services with Military Honors will be Wed., May 10, 2023 at 2:00 pm at Parke’s Magic Valley Funeral Home, 2551 Kimberly Rd. in Twin Falls. To read the obituary and leave online condolences go to: www.magicvalleyfuneralhome.com.
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accounts, the history behind an article. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/funeral-notices/james-o-jim-white/article_3626bb4f-e700-56bd-bae5-aa483de8d539.html | 2023-05-06T05:50:33 | 1 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/funeral-notices/james-o-jim-white/article_3626bb4f-e700-56bd-bae5-aa483de8d539.html |
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — ETSU’s College of Nursing had its nursing convocation and pinning ceremony on Friday.
Nearly 350 nursing graduates will be entering the workforce during a nationwide staffing shortage.
Ashley Osterman, who is graduating with her master’s degree, works as a registered nurse.
“I’m seeing a lot of nurses leave health care,” said Osterman. “Just exhaustion, overworked I think we’re just understaffed.”
Although Osterman has witnessed the issue at hand she does believe it is improving.
“We’re definitely seeing things settle in a little bit more,” said Osterman. “Staffing ratios are definitely starting to improve as far as that’s concerned. I do think that it is slowly getting back to where we would like to see it.”
“When you feel overworked, understaffed, not feeling like you are providing the best for your patients, people will leave,” said Osterman. “I think that bringing more nurses into this community is going to make a huge difference.”
The staffing shortage is a nation-wide issue but rural areas like East Tennessee makes the issue more prominent.
Lisa Haddad, associate dean of graduate programs, says getting students into the workforce is one solution to the issue.
“I think it’s going to really help our nursing shortage that we have in the area,” said Haddad. “It’s a huge importance for them to graduate and find those jobs.” | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/etsu-nursing-graduates-entering-workforce-amid-national-shortage/ | 2023-05-06T06:05:59 | 0 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/etsu-nursing-graduates-entering-workforce-amid-national-shortage/ |
MID-MICHIGAN (WJRT) - The coronation of King Charles III of England is bringing a change in ABC12's broadcast lineup.
ABC News will be airing wall-to-wall coverage of the coronation live from London beginning at 5 a.m. ET and continue through the morning, including the hours that ABC12 News This Morning normally airs on the weekend.
To accommodate the change, ABC12 News This Morning will air on channel 12.2 MeTV on Saturday. All newscasts will air at their normal times of 6, 7 and 9 a.m., but on a different channel.
The change is effective for Saturday morning only. All programming will return to its normal times and channels after live coverage of the coronation is complete.
Click here for a livestream of ABC12 News. | https://www.abc12.com/news/local/abc12-news-this-morning-switches-channels-for-saturday/article_b59959b6-ebc5-11ed-8aa7-63e49a85af54.html | 2023-05-06T06:09:25 | 0 | https://www.abc12.com/news/local/abc12-news-this-morning-switches-channels-for-saturday/article_b59959b6-ebc5-11ed-8aa7-63e49a85af54.html |
The Utica Fire Department and the city cannot agree on a contract for the fire department.
"It's been five years that we haven't been in a current contract and it's been frustrating for our members," says IFFA Local 32 President, Thomas Carcone. "During that time frame, it's been a really rough period, considering our firefighters have fought the pandemic, provided services to knowingly positive patients, fought an opioid crisis, in addition to a 40% increase in our call volume."
The city says they're not the ones who won't settle.
"If they're saying why can't we settle? That's on him, because we've settled contracts over and over again with the Teamsters, with CSEA and with the PBA," says Utica Mayor, Robert Palmieri. "The contract that as we have proposed at this point is more lucrative than the police department's contract."
A huge sticking point: moving the department to self insurance, a move an arbitrator said the city had no right to do, without negotiations and union membership consent. The city is fighting that ruling in NYS Supsreme Court.
"We have given the mayor a path to continue on self insurance for the city employees regardless that he implemented it without an agreement. Part of comng to an agreement on continuing in the self insurance program would be our members contribute zero percent to that plan until the city can show that it's responsible in managing it. A 30% increase doesn't show responsibility," says Carcone.
"Everyone's paying 20% into health insurance. Every one of our unions is paying at least 20%," says the Mayor. "I am not gonna hold the residents hostage for someone who is not willing to negotiate so if that's what he wants, it will cost their union members more money, but if that's what he wants, we're able to do that. We're able to separate it at this time."
The city and its fire department go to binding arbitration May 18th. | https://www.wktv.com/news/local/city-of-utica-fire-department-cant-agree-on-contract-move-to-arbitration/article_b232520e-eb8f-11ed-8f22-63d4d55f9717.html | 2023-05-06T06:26:38 | 0 | https://www.wktv.com/news/local/city-of-utica-fire-department-cant-agree-on-contract-move-to-arbitration/article_b232520e-eb8f-11ed-8f22-63d4d55f9717.html |
UTICA, N.Y. – A woman who has contributed for the past 30 years to the Polish community and heritage in and around the city of Utica was honored this week with the Gold Cross of Merit, which is the highest civilian award given by the president of Poland.
Ela Pawlowski received Poland’s Gold Cross of Merit Award for Community Effort on May 3, the national holiday that celebrates the 1971 declaration of Poland’s Constitution. The honor is presented to a citizen in recognition of exemplary service or humanitarian work that goes above and beyond the call of duty in their work.
Pawlowski was one of just 13 people presented with an award at the May 3 ceremony at the Consulate General of Poland in Manhattan by General Consul Adrian Kubicki, on behalf of the President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda.
“I am truly honored and proud to receive this prestigious award,” Pawlowski said. “The medal is a lifetime achievement. It’s a symbol of the great work Polish people in our community have done over the past 100 years.”
Pawlowski said, “It’s an outstanding achievement and we should all be very proud of what our Polish ancestors started over 125 years ago in this city.”
The group that nominated Pawlowski said she continually makes positive impacts on the Polish presence in the community, promoting and preserving the culture here in the United States and in Utica.
Pawlowski, modest and humble at heart, said this award and the work she does could not be possible without others who contribute.
“When I share stories of our city, of our diversity and more importantly of how accepting our community is of other ethnic groups, everyone is amazed,” Pawlowski said. “They can’t believe that we have a Polish home that we can call our own here.”
Another local man, Paul Jaworski, traveled with Pawlowski to Manhattan to accept an honor on behalf of his father, Henry Jaworski.
“Mr. Paul Jaworski received an award on behalf of his father, Mr. Henry Jaworski,” Pawlowski said. “His whole family has been coming to the club for years, since I came here 30 years ago, and have been very involved and supportive of what we do at the Polish Community Center.”
Pawlowski came to the U.S. in 1993. She got involved with the Polish Community Center in Utica three decades ago during trying times at the center. Pawlowski started fundraising and coordinating events to keep the culture thriving at the center and hasn’t stopped ever since then.
“I hope that I can continue this great work in our community and pass it on to my children, Pawlowski said. “I hope that I can pass it on to the new generation and encourage them to get involved and to help our community be a better place.”
Pawlowski’s energy is infectious. She inspires those around her to step up and volunteer. The natural-born leader works in her full-time insurance marketing career, as a real estate agent, a dance teacher, and a mother of three, and still finds the energy and excitement to help the heritage of Polish people in the Utica area remain alive and thriving.
She invites all to the Polish Community Center in Utica on Thursdays and Fridays for their fish fries. | https://www.wktv.com/news/local/local-woman-receives-prestigious-award-from-president-of-poland/article_1e9ddc2a-ebc1-11ed-b985-07a76a8f257b.html | 2023-05-06T06:26:44 | 1 | https://www.wktv.com/news/local/local-woman-receives-prestigious-award-from-president-of-poland/article_1e9ddc2a-ebc1-11ed-b985-07a76a8f257b.html |
DAVIS, Calif. — Hundreds of people gathered together at Davis' Sycamore Park to remember 20-year-old Karim Abou Najm at a Celebration of Life Friday afternoon.
The UC Davis student was killed in a stabbing at the park April 29, just six weeks before he was set to graduate from the University with honors.
Friends and family members honored Abou Najm with kind words and fond memories.
Those who knew him said life had an impact on so many around campus and beyond.
"I was looking for friends and there was Karim right next to me in my very first class at UC Davis," said Said Almuzahimi, a friend of Abou Najm. "I remember his curiosity and his intelligence that is honestly unexplainable."
The two were about to graduate. Almuzahimi admits moving on is going to be difficult.
"I still don't feel like this is real," said Almuzahimi.
Fourth year student Caytlyn Noble says Abou Najm was "a very genuinely sweet person," recalling the few dates they went on and how he was "probably the nicest person I've ever been on a date with."
Abou Najm came to the U.S. in 2018 from Lebanon. He graduated from Davis Senior High School with honors and went on to major in computer science at UC Davis. His family said he took pride in helping others and mentored undergraduate students.
His mother said he was a bright, brilliant and generous soul. She shared at the service that he was an intellectual who dreamt big, a music lover and a great listener.
"Cherish the moments that you have with people around you because you don't know if that will be your last moment with them," said Noble.
Even students who did not know Abou Najm felt compelled to come to the service to pay their respects and show their support for his family.
"It's sad to see such a brilliant mind taken from us so soon," said Riya Chaudhari, a UC Davis student. "We can only hope to live in his memory and spread his life and love."
An undergraduate student award has been named in Karim's honor to help support UC Davis students doing research. It is called the Karim Majdi Abou Najm Memorial Undergraduate Student Research Award. As of Friday, UC Davis officials said more than $87,000 have been raised.
Those who knew Abou Najm said this is just one of the ways to continue his legacy. | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/uc-davis-student-karim-abou-najm-remembered-by-community/103-01d7ea62-67ca-42b8-a982-68871ec5aec3 | 2023-05-06T06:34:01 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/uc-davis-student-karim-abou-najm-remembered-by-community/103-01d7ea62-67ca-42b8-a982-68871ec5aec3 |
AUBURN, Calif. — Police are warning about an increase in wrong-way drivers across the region.
Wrong way crashes have been increasing each year across the state; many of them are alcohol related, according to data from the California Highway Patrol.
Just last week a wrong-way driver who was allegedly under the influence was caught by officer Bryce Bandilla of the Auburn Police Department.
Bandilla says he saw a car without its lights on, flashed his own as a heads up and saw the car take off on the wrong side of the road.
“It was going eastbound on the westbound off ramp of 80. I said ‘oh boy this is not good,’” said Bandilla. “I was thankful I was in the right place at the right time.”
Some situations don’t have witnesses around to immediately call in a wrong way driver before damage happens.
Kate Sherfey lost her mother to a wrong way driver back in April of 2009.
“We’re 14 years later, and I still don’t have the words to describe how it feels. It’s not horror. It’s not darkness. It’s a million times worst than that,” said Sherfey.
Bandilla says last year there were 120 DUI’s in Auburn and there’s already been 50 this year.
“This is a choice. It’s simple. If you are going to drink, plan. Don’t drive. Thankfully that officer was able to save someone the other night in Auburn because someone didn’t have a plan and they made a horrible choice,” said Sherfey.
According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, a drunk driver will drive impaired 80 times before being caught once. | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/wrong-way-dui-drivers-increase/103-b33a8900-82c4-452b-bab6-6e4cc87dacf0 | 2023-05-06T06:34:07 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/wrong-way-dui-drivers-increase/103-b33a8900-82c4-452b-bab6-6e4cc87dacf0 |
Chiropractic CareCentre hire
Dr. Chase Enget has joined Chiropractic CareCentre in Bismarck.
Enget graduated from Northwestern Health Sciences University in 2017 and most recently owned a practice in Fargo.
Educator named AVID speaker
Lincoln fourth grade teacher Alyssa Merriman has been named the first-ever AVID Summer Institute Teacher Speaker for the state of North Dakota.
Getzlaff reelected
Sarah Getzlaff, CEO of Security First Bank of North Dakota in Bismarck, has been reelected treasurer of the Independent Community Bankers of America for 2023-24. | https://bismarcktribune.com/business/local/businesspeople---may-6-2023/article_e4af5d9c-e5f1-11ed-99cd-23450307b08b.html | 2023-05-06T06:36:39 | 1 | https://bismarcktribune.com/business/local/businesspeople---may-6-2023/article_e4af5d9c-e5f1-11ed-99cd-23450307b08b.html |
WASHINGTON, USA —
Officials urge boaters to keep boats dry and clean to stop spread of invasive species
Washington Fish and Wildlife is asking boaters to remember to clean, drain and dry vessels this season to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species. Those species include zebra and quagga mussels, which are not Washington and which WDFW and boaters want to keep out.
"They are a small freshwater mussel that we consider public enemy number one," WDFW Aquatic Invasive Species Captain Eric Anderson said. "They're not in the state of Washington yet and if they were to get here they would affect every citizen in the state of Washington - by hitting infrastructure, hydroelectric dams, municipal water supply, irrigation and then also the impacts they would do on our natural fishery resources in the state." Read more
Three months after an Alaska man missed out on a life-saving surgery in December due to a crippling ice storm in Seattle, he now is recovering after receiving a new heart from UW’s Heart Institute.
Patrick Holland now has a new heart and lease on life.
“Before this I could do two laps around our kitchen counter and I was done chasing my kid and when I get home I'm going to chase the crap out of him on the playground," Holland said. "It’s emotional because I didn't have it." Read more
Fentanyl addiction remains a grave problem in the U.S., but another drug is creeping into the picture that could complicate the existing opioid crisis.
Its street name is known as "tranq," short for tranquilizer, but its official name as a drug is xylazine.
"It's been around since the 1960s, but mostly it was never really used in humans because of side effects," said Dr. Scott Phillips, who has a background in medical toxicology and serves as executive medical director at the Washington Poison Center.
Xylazine is a sedative that is traditionally used as a tranquilizer for large animals like cows and horses and is not designed for humans. Read more
Court documents reveal new details into the death investigation of a woman who previously lived in the Bremerton area and was found dead in Phoenix, Arizona on April 29.
Lauren Heike, 29, was hiking on a trail near East Libby Street and North 65th Place in north Phoenix on April 28 when Phoenix Police Lt. James Hester said she was attacked from behind. Heike died from her injuries. She was found after someone called police about a possible injured person. She was declared dead at the scene.
The documents said investigators were able to collect DNA from one of Heike's shoes and used it to identify the suspect. Read more
Washington officially has its first state dinosaur.
Gov. Jay Inslee signed House Bill 1020 on Thursday, which designates the Suciasaurus rex as the official dinosaur of the state of Washington.
Following the bill signing, Inslee recognized eighth-grader Athena Tauscher as "Washingtonian of the Day" for her work on the bill.
Tauscher repeatedly testified in favor of the bill, which came up as a result of a fourth-grade class project. Read more | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/5-things-know-weekend/281-7f651aa8-d5dd-4d91-a55d-6710456f20e4 | 2023-05-06T06:49:42 | 1 | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/5-things-know-weekend/281-7f651aa8-d5dd-4d91-a55d-6710456f20e4 |
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A woman in Lacey, Wash. was arrested Friday afternoon for stealing credit cards and identification belonging to teachers of a local school, according to the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities say they arrested Sarah Salo around 5 p.m. and that she had been sought for similar crimes in Clark County and the greater Portland Metro area prior to this arrest.
Salo was booked in Clark County on charges of criminal impersonation in the first degree, theft in the first degree, possession of another’s identity and forgery. She was also charged with a Clark County warrant for burglary in the second degree and theft second degree, and a Multnomah County warrant for identity theft.
Stay with KOIN 6 as we receive more information. | https://www.koin.com/local/clark-county/washington-woman-charged-with-stealing-teachers-credit-cards-at-lacey-school/ | 2023-05-06T06:57:49 | 1 | https://www.koin.com/local/clark-county/washington-woman-charged-with-stealing-teachers-credit-cards-at-lacey-school/ |
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The two suspects that were arrested in a case of child abuse in Washington County appeared before a judge for the first time this week.
Charles Ward, 74, and Ana Miranda, 67, were indicted and have pleaded not guilty to all charges stemming from a Washington County Sheriff’s Office investigation into their home.
According to the investigation, a child was chained to a table for upwards of 12 hours a day, kicked, hit, strangled and verbally abused for a year. Police say a second victim — now an adult — was abused with metal pliers between 2017-2020.
Child abuse prevention advocates say it’s prevalent in the area and nationwide.
“Based on national statistics, 1 in 7 children has been abused or neglected in the last year,” said Jenny Gilmore-Robinson, executive director of CARES Northwest. “The challenge, of course, is whether or not we’re identifying it when it happens so that the kids get the safety and care that they need.”
WCSO says there were nine children in the home and two young adults, and they believe the abuse goes back many years and there may be more victims who are now adults.
CARES Northwest, fully known as Child Abuse Response and Evaluation Services, is a community-based medical program to stop abuse. Gilmore-Robinson says this kind of trauma can show up in children as depression and school struggles, and long-term, can result in physical and mental health issues.
“Children in pain grow up to be adults in pain. We know from the adverse childhood experience studies that have been going on for decades,” said Gilmore-Robinson.
CARES Northwest says it’s important to keep communication open with kids and have multiple people they can safely turn to — but also say that children rarely tell someone when something’s wrong, so it’s also important to look out for the warning signs. They can show up behaviorally like with loss of excitement in school or activities, withdrawing, and emotional outbursts, as well as physical signs like bruising, especially in the face, ears and neck.
The Family Justice Center in Washington County also has resources online with the warning signs to watch out for. They’ve also provided a training for the public.
If you are concerned a child is being harmed, call the Oregon Child Abuse Hotline at 1-855-503-7233.
“There’s no such thing as a broken child, we just need to make sure they’re getting the help that they need to move forward and the sooner the better,” said Gilmore-Robinson.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is asking any other potential victims in this case or anyone with information to contact them at 503-846-2700.
Stay with KOIN 6 as this story develops. | https://www.koin.com/local/washington-county/oregon-couple-indicted-on-charges-of-chaining-child-up-for-12-hours-multiple-times/ | 2023-05-06T06:57:55 | 1 | https://www.koin.com/local/washington-county/oregon-couple-indicted-on-charges-of-chaining-child-up-for-12-hours-multiple-times/ |
PORTLAND, Ore. — Step into the Lan Su Chinese Garden in Old Town Chinatown in downtown Portland, and be immersed in beauty and culture.
“It is absolutely an oasis,” said Executive Director Elizabeth Nye. “And at this oasis, we work very hard to inspire, engage, educate our audiences about a richly authentic Chinese culture.”
The month of May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPI), and Lan Su has packed the calendar with cultural programs, performances and exhibits with the theme “Celebrate Our Stories” from May 6-28.
“I always love to consider this as a humbling learning experience,” said Venus Sun, Lan Su’s director of cultural and community engagement. “Even I am culturally Asian. I don't know just how rich how amazing how fast ancient cultures are exactly to a greater community.”
The Lan Su Chinese Garden and almost 60 partner organizations joined with Oregon Rises Above Hate to hold an event outside the garden walls on Saturday, May 6 to speak out against Asian hate.
“That will happen from 10 to 11 and then we'll follow that with an amazing community celebration of all of the different cultures,” Nye said. “We have performances — I think 15 different performances are scheduled, food trucks, organizations tabling, so it's a great community event to kick off AANHPI (Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander) Month.”
Each of the next four weekends is a chance to not just feature AAPI culture but celebrate them. Honoring both differences and similarities.
“At the end of the day, what do we care about? We care about family, we care about community, we care about making a difference, and that's what you see when you get to experience other cultures as well,” said Nye.
“Every weekend, we are highlighting one region of AANHPI community,” added Sun. “We call it cultural immersion days. So you're going to come May 7, 13, 20 and the 27th and each day they will be highlighting a particular region or a particular culture. That is our cultural demonstration performances, even some food tasting, so we really want to let you see, listen, and taste and sense just how amazing these cultures are, and also at the same time how they are visible here in Portland, and we want to give them that platform.”
For more information on “Celebrate Our Stories” or to volunteer with the Lan Su Chinese Garden, visit LanSuGarden.com. | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/asian-american-pacific-islander-heritage-month-celebration-portland/283-644537e4-f1e6-416c-9914-a1da8a287aaf | 2023-05-06T07:08:30 | 1 | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/asian-american-pacific-islander-heritage-month-celebration-portland/283-644537e4-f1e6-416c-9914-a1da8a287aaf |
SANFORD, Maine — Nearly two dozen families seeking asylum are now in Sanford as of Friday night.
Sanford Police said about 23 families, roughly 70 individuals, have made their way to the community, but there's no more room to house any of them.
The asylum seekers have been showing up in waves over the past few days, Major Matthew Gagne of the Sanford Police Department said.
The families came from the Portland area, but it's unclear who's sending them, Gagne told NEWS CENTER Maine. Some arrived by Uber and others are just being dropped off in the city.
They were gathered at Sanford City Hall Friday before they could be taken somewhere.
Sanford police say the city is partnering with several organizations, and some local hotels to try and coordinate support.
"Everybody's come together to help these families in the situation," Major Gane said. "We're just asking for patience from the public. It's a complicated situation and one that appeared here in Sanford. We're just managing it now."
If you want to help out or make a donation, Sanford Police ask you to contact York County Community Action or the Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition. | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/maine-immigration/group-of-asylum-seeking-families-arrive-in-sanford-23-families-immigration-maine/97-c216d0da-875e-4ab7-b505-6a2fea1dedb4 | 2023-05-06T07:26:59 | 1 | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/maine-immigration/group-of-asylum-seeking-families-arrive-in-sanford-23-families-immigration-maine/97-c216d0da-875e-4ab7-b505-6a2fea1dedb4 |
ELK GROVE, Calif. — Dozens of events are being held in the Greater Sacramento region to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage month.
This year's Asian Pacific CultureFest is being held in Elk Grove Saturday and is hosting over 100 AAPI vendors and artists.
The fest is being hosted by The Creative Space and the Sacramento Asian Pacific Cultural Village with the goal to bring a sense of belonging in a family friendly event.
“It's something that you know, honors our past and something we're able to bring in the present and share with others,” said Remy Tokunaga, cofounder of The Creative Space.
Event organizers say 5,000 people are expected to attend the event, supporting small businesses from the area.
Those who have been to the fest before may note some changes.
“One shift this year is that we do have more representation from the literary arts and spoken word,” said Jason Jong, Executive Director of the Sacramento Asian Pacific Cultural Village. “We have the first Asian American poet laureate for the state of California.”
The event is also to help anyone interested in getting back in touch with their roots to do so.
“We're born and raised in Sacramento, and we're fortunate enough to be part of the Asian community here. We grew up going to these types of events where we saw our culture, and I think, especially after COVID, they stopped happening,” said Tokunaga. “COVID kind of got us all in that mindset that we wanted to connect back to our roots and our community.”
Organizers also want to highlight businesses affected by COVID and harassment and discrimination which rose during the pandemic.
The CultureFest runs from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Saturday in Elk Grove along Civic Center Drive.
Organizers hope for many things, but specifically that the “younger generation can see this and see what's possible and really stay connected to their roots,” said Tokunaga. | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/elk-grove/culturefest-elk-grove/103-f2db20c1-d807-4dcb-8231-32314d9238a8 | 2023-05-06T08:15:23 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/elk-grove/culturefest-elk-grove/103-f2db20c1-d807-4dcb-8231-32314d9238a8 |
TUPELO — Those looking to settle fines with the Tupelo Municipal Court have a chance to do so without added warrant fines after the City Council approved an amnesty month.
The council voted unanimously Tuesday to establish amnesty month from May 15 to June 15 and waive the judges’ $125 warrant fee to settle more accounts before hiring a collection agency.
Court Administrator Rhonda Cole told the council that there were thousands of unsettled accounts in the city court with contempt of court charges tacked on top of the other fines.
During the Monday afternoon work session, Ward 6 Councilwoman Janet Gaston questioned why the court wanted to waive the warrant fee. Cole said it incentivizes settling with the court and reduces the work of the collection agency.
“Usually, you have a bigger turnout as far as people coming into court if they think they are going to get something better off of waiving that $125 warrant fee,” Cole said. “We are trying to get as many people to come in before we turn them over to collections.”
She said midway through the amnesty month the court hoped to start a contract with American Municipal Services to begin seeking unpaid collections. She said the contract will include a $25 add-on fee. City Attorney Ben Logan said the council will have a chance to approve or reject the contract at the next meeting.
Logan noted that while there are parts of court fines that cannot be waived by the judge or council, it was within the council’s power to approve waiving the warrant fee for contempt of court for failure to appear or failure to pay.
Cole said the court accepted walk-in payments on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 1:30 to 3 p.m.
“It is in their best interest to come and settle this before it is turned over, “she said, adding that if the month is successful, the court will look into making amnesty month annually or biannually."
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Copyright 2023 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved. | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/05/06/win-family-4-pack-of-tickets-to-orlando-science-center/ | 2023-05-06T09:07:10 | 0 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/05/06/win-family-4-pack-of-tickets-to-orlando-science-center/ |
There has been a recent spike in 911 calls in several New Jersey communities as callers believe they are reporting criminal activity — but it turns out it's just a game between teenagers. And now police are issuing a warning to those playing.
It's called "assassin" or "water wars." It involves graduating high school senior competing to be the last one standing, hoping to be the last one to avoid being shot with a water gun by others.
"That's one thing you're waiting for, to play the game," said Sweta Patel, who graduated in 2018. "I know I was looking forward to it and it's a rite of passage I guess."
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Graduating seniors in parts of Somerset County, like Bridgewater, and around the country have been playing Assassin for decades. But with a rise in car thefts in the town, Bridgewater Police Chief John Mitzak is trying to avoid a case of mistaken identity.
"They have been hiding under cars, looks like they could steal catalytic converters. We have seen them hide around cars, people could think they're trying to steal a car, so yes that is a concern," said Mitzak.
Police chiefs in Livingston and Washington Township in Morris County are also urging caution, telling students if they do play, to do so during the day with brightly-colored water guns that could not be mistaken for the real thing. The Holmdel police went as far as to urge students to stop playing Assassin immediately, posting on Facebook, "there exists a potential for dangerous situations to occur if this game continues to be played."
"There have been a few instances when neighbors have gotten involved and it can be scary because you don't know what people are thinking or doing when you're playing an innocent game," said Megan Cichetti, who is graduating this year.
"I didn't want anyone to have the wrong impression that I was trying to do something bad to them," said Sydney Fried, another graduating senior.
Some parents said they're happy the seniors get to have some fun with their friends, after all they missed out on during COVID lockdowns.
Bridgewater police have received several 911 calls already for suspicious people or vehicles that trace back to the assassins game. Police are urging homeowners to call police if they see anything out of the ordinary — and not try to intervene. | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/nj-police-issue-warning-about-high-school-teens-playing-assassins-game/4308580/ | 2023-05-06T09:31:19 | 1 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/nj-police-issue-warning-about-high-school-teens-playing-assassins-game/4308580/ |
The NYC streets won’t be filled with typical transit this Sunday, and the city’s Department of Transportation is encouraging commuters to plan ahead.
The TD Five Boro Bike Tour hosted by Bike NY is making a return this Sunday, May 7, where cyclists will take over 40-miles of commonly-used roadways for motor vehicles.
The tour will comprise cyclists of all skill levels with proceeds going towards "free bike education programs," their website says.
The city's DOT warns that places such as the FDR Drive, BQE/Gowanus, the Ed Koch-Queensboro Bridge, and the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge will be shut down for the event. They say that either mass transit or routes avoiding the Bike Tour will be your best bet to navigate the city.
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MTA’s revised bus routes will be available at MTA.info, and a map of where the cyclists will be traveling can be found here. | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/td-five-boro-bike-tour-returns-to-nyc-sunday-street-closures-map-and-more/4307551/ | 2023-05-06T09:31:25 | 0 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/td-five-boro-bike-tour-returns-to-nyc-sunday-street-closures-map-and-more/4307551/ |
While thousands favor the region in summer for its seaside views, plenty find cedar water-filled lakes surrounded by trees to be the best spot when the weather gets hot.
But managing their beaches and parks has become more costly for towns that run them.
Cost increases recently approved by Egg Harbor City Council for its lake park have Stephanie Whildon questioning whether her family can include their usual visits to the park as part of their summer plans.
“My son was just talking about camping and getting swimming passes this year, but I noticed, as well, the prices have really gone up,” said Whildon, who lives about 20 minutes from the lake. “Not sure if I can pull it off this year or not, sadly, and that was the highlight of our summers.”
Lake parks in other areas of South Jersey also aren’t resistant to fee hikes for their visitors.
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“It’s pretty much due to the cost of labor that goes up every year,” Egg Harbor City Mayor Lisa Jiampetti said.
Neil Pastore couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
Like its shore town counterparts, Egg Harbor City hasn’t escaped having to address lifeguard staffing issues.
“We have to be competitive,” Jiampetti said. “In the past couple of years since COVID, there’s been a lifeguard shortage. It’s not so hard to get badge checkers because they don’t need a certification for that.”
Lake beachgoers will pay $8 for a daily wristband, an increase from $5. For about a decade starting in 2009, they were $4, Jiampetti said.
Preseason passes have been raised to $10, as they, too, have been subject to subtle increases over about the past 14 years, Jiampetti said.
That type of price change has been seen at other municipal lake parks and beaches.
In 2021, Hamilton Township increased rates at The Cove beach at Lake Lenape in Mays Landing. Seasonal passes that year were increased to $30 after May 1, a $5 increase from the cost to purchase the same credentials preseason, according to a resolution by the Township Committee.
EGG HARBOR CITY — Residents can participate in the 16th annual City-Wide Clean Up from 8 to …
As in Egg Harbor City, raising prices was necessary to keep the beach operational, Hamilton Administrator Brett Noll said.
Most of the costs center on paying lifeguards.
“With what we were paying, you could go to work at Kohl’s or work at McDonald’s and make more money without a lifeguard certification in CPR,” Noll said.
Overall, Jiampetti hasn’t heard about too much pushback from the public, saying most understand that the associated costs help keep the lake open to be enjoyed throughout the warmer months before it’s drained in the shoulder season.
Megan Pena, of Egg Harbor City, chooses to go to the lake over the beach. It’s easier for her small children to enjoy, not having to be fearful of crashing waves and other hazards associated with the ocean.
The lake is mostly affordable, and getting there doesn’t include the traffic synonymous with summers at the shore, she said.
Going into Thursday, most of South Jersey was on the cusp of drought, with one of the driest…
“It’s easy to take off one day and enjoy the woods nearby, too,” Pena said. “There is also a playground and mini golf and paddle boats, a variety of activities to keep the family happy.”
There are ample chances to enjoy South Jersey’s fresh waters without beach fees.
At Lake Lenape, a short distance from The Cove, Atlantic County operates two parks, covering 2,000 acres. Visitors can use them for fishing and recreational sports, such as pickleball and volleyball. Boats, with proper permitting, can also be launched there.
West of Hamilton Township, Hammonton Lake Park, a few hundred yards behind the municipal sports fields on South Egg Harbor Road, doesn’t allow swimming, so no beachgoer fee, said Denise Mazzeo, the town’s recreation leader. While one can’t enjoy the water on a hot day, a small beach exposes the public to calm waters and trees a few hundred feet away.
Lake parks that require a pass for the beach, like Egg Harbor City, have them available for early purchase, at prices that are typically less expensive than in-season.
Christina Lauer-Gas, who enjoys taking her family there, has already purchased them, securing her access for the summer.
“A quick dip in the lake washes all our day’s troubles away,” said Lauer-Gas. “A few hours at the lake wipes the kids out and makes for a calmer afternoon at home.”
In Hamilton, the lake park is more of an amenity for locals, with easier-to-find parking than by the ocean, but it also helps bring people to town, boosting revenue for businesses during summer, Noll said.
“We’ve actually never broken even at The Cove,” Noll said. “But it does bring people in, and it’s a lot of the hometown people that go there, rather than drive out to the shore. A lot of them prefer the fresh water of the lake than the crowded shore and the saltwater.” | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/south-jerseys-inland-lakes-not-immune-to-price-hikes/article_02dc08ce-e84a-11ed-b385-8f1cf01dddb0.html | 2023-05-06T09:48:36 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/south-jerseys-inland-lakes-not-immune-to-price-hikes/article_02dc08ce-e84a-11ed-b385-8f1cf01dddb0.html |
Age: 55
Lives in: West Deptford Township, Gloucester County
Number of years in nursing: 15
Why decide on a nursing career? I'm very passionate about helping people, especially at the end of life.
Was nursing your first career choice? My first career was cosmetology, but I always wanted to be a nurse.
Best part about being a nurse? It's the hardest decision for a patient or family to make. I help so many patients and families at the hardest times of their lives.
What has kept you in the field? Honestly, to be able to help patients and to educate patients and families.
What is your most memorable experience being a nurse? One Christmas Eve, a young man was estranged from his mother. She wanted to see her son. She wanted lasagna and meatballs. Her son showed up for Christmas Eve. My husband got my family's Christmas Eve dinner together for between 30 and 40 people. I got her skin, turquoise nails and hair done due to my cosmetology experience. That's my favorite memory.
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Age: 48
Lives in: Egg Harbor Township
Number of years in nursing: 18
Why decide on a nursing career? There was an extreme shortage in nurses in Florida. I went back to school. I earned an associates degree in Florida, and AtlantiCare paid for my bachelor's. Nursing was a more stable and needed career.
Was nursing your first career choice? First, I was in sports marketing. I earned a bachelor's in communications in 1997 at the University of South Florida. I was in Florida until 2007. I came back home when I had my first child.
Best part about being a nurse? You are able to help in the most important way in taking care of their health. I can't imagine anything more rewarding than getting everyone to take care of their body.
What has kept you in the field? Nurses and doctors are fun and smart, and I learn something new everyday. I'm proud to tell my children what I do everyday. It's fascinating to see what the body can do and what medicine can do.
What is your most memorable experience being a nurse? I was in the cardiovascular surgical unit. A patient had open heart surgery, emergency surgery. The family was scared and overwhelmed. I told the family, "I was going to take good care of their loved one. I need to focus. I will do what needs to be done."
The family wrote a card and thanked me for putting their loved one first. They wrote the whole unit, one card for everybody that stayed at the hospital. They were just very appreciative. We saved their loved one's life.
Age: 55
Lives in: Cape May Court House
Number of years in nursing: 28
Why decide on a nursing career? My mother, aunt, uncle, brother and sister were all in the medical field.
Was nursing your first career choice? No, the first career choice was an elementary school mathematics teacher.
Best part about being a nurse? Multiple things, including seeing a person's improving physical and mental state.
What has kept you in the field? The art of nursing is really fun. You go there and make people feel better. A bedside nurse, I was that. An outpatient nurse, I have done that. I am in administration currently. You don't ever have to leave nursing.
What is your most memorable experience being a nurse? There were people who were in hospice or who had no family. Every Christmas, I gave it up when I was living in Louisiana.
Note: Ellis has one daughter, Madeline Versage, who is graduating from Stockton University with a doctorate in physical therapy. She has another daughter, Sophia Ellis, who will be graduating in May 2024 from Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia with a doctorate in pharmacy, which continues the tradition of someone in her family being in the medical field for a third generation.
Age: 43
Lives in: Galloway Township
Number of years in nursing: 23
Why decide on a nursing career? When I was in high school, I planned to be a pediatrician because I love kids. My homeroom teacher told me about the LPN program as part of the Chicago public school program. At my high school, I was the first and only student ever in the LPN program at the time.
Was nursing your first career choice? My first career choice was to be a pediatrician. I loved my pediatrician when I was a teen and a little kid. After 4 years, I was in the trauma center in Chicago in a labor and delivery position. I already had LPN and home health experience. I was working delivery in a high-risk obstetrics unit. All the Black nurses and Black doctors inspired me to keep growing. I love action and excitement. I still love working in labor and delivery.
Best part about being a nurse? Being there for patients at their most vulnerable stage in life. Patients say, "Thank you for being there for me. Hearing your voice helped me get through this as a first-time mom."
What has kept you in the field? It's so rewarding to take care of patients. The rush, the excitement, the miracle of life that you get to see every single day.
What is your most memorable experience being a nurse? Two and a half years ago during COVID, a patient was scheduled for a "C" section, but the baby was breeched. The feet were coming out. It was a medical emergency. I kept her from freaking out. It was exciting. It was a rush. It was the most memorable of all times during COVID.
Age: 74
Lives in: Brigantine
Number of years in nursing: 53 (last 33 years as an infusion nurse)
Why decide on a nursing career? In high school, I was a volunteer, a yellow bird, at Atlantic City Hospital.
Was nursing your first career choice? Yes
Best part about being a nurse? I enjoy working with people, taking care of people. I have always enjoyed my job and still do.
What has kept you in the field? I like what I do very much. I never had the yen to retire. I work with wonderful people. I enjoy what I do.
What is your most memorable experience being a nurse? Every experience is different. Some are good. Some are bad. As an infusion nurse, we give blood transfusions, chemotherapy and injections of all kinds. Right now, I am working with the best crew I ever worked with for a majority of the past five years.
Age: 57
Lives in: Rio Grande
Number of years in nursing: 22
Why decide on a nursing career? I had an experience in a hospital where I was told I wouldn't be able to have children. The nurses got me through that situation.
Was nursing your first career choice? I went to school to be an accountant. I worked for my family for most of my life at a farm market. I worked with my hands and with people.
Best part about being a nurse? To help a person succeed, to watch a patient's success. I feel I have succeeded if they are managing their blood sugar well.
What has kept you in the field? I like my job.
What is your most memorable experience being a nurse? I had a patient who was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. She thought she would die from the insulin. The baby was born. The mother named her baby after me. I help people through diabetes education. I do love helping my patients.
Age: 68
Lives in: Egg Harbor Township
Number of years in nursing: 37
Why decide on a nursing career? In 1986, there was a nursing shortage. My dream job was in labor and delivery and maternity. I worked at Atlantic City Medical Center. I have worked for AtlantiCare at both the Mainland and the City Division campuses.
Was nursing your first career choice? I played organ and piano solo professionally at such events as weddings. I also gave piano and organ lessons.
Best part of being a nurse? Getting the satisfaction that our hard work has paid off for getting someone to be well, seeing them heal from different diseases.
What has kept you in the field? It keeps you young, the love of it. You have to have the mind, heart and soul for it. I have cut back. I'm working part time. I don't want to retire. I'm an adjunct clinical instructor at Atlantic Cape Community College. I enjoy what I'm doing.
What is your most memorable experience being a nurse? In labor and delivery, I did five years of nights while my kids were growing up. They didn't always have doctors in the hospital. I have delivered a few of my own little babies.
Age: 26
Lives in: Egg Harbor Township
Number of years in nursing: 5 (last three years in the operating room)
Why decide on a nursing career? I knew a desk job wasn't for me. I wanted a job with a purpose, to help people and feel fulfilled everyday.
Was nursing your first career choice? I went straight from graduating from Stockton University into a nursing career.
Best part about being a nurse? Being a nurse during the past three years of the pandemic, it's the hardest thing, but the best thing I've ever done. We want our patients to be safe and to provide quality care.
What has kept you in the field? I got out of true bedside nursing as COVID was starting. The great thing about nursing is that there are so many things that I can do. I work in an operating room, and surgery interests me. It fits my kind of personality to focus all my attention on one patient at a time, the one on the table.
What is your most memorable experience being a nurse? Getting trained in the operating room. Amazing nurses trained me. They all came to my wedding. I learn how to scrub in with the surgeons and assist with surgery by passing the instruments and gowning and gloving the doctors. We meet with the patients beforehand and make sure all the documentation is in order. I think that healthcare workers get a lot of negative hate thrown at us recently because of the pandemic. Most nurses are truly proud of what they do. I'm a patient's voice. I love what I do.
Age: 62
Lives in: Lower Township
Number of years in nursing: 39
Why decide on a nursing career? It's a career that there would always be a need for. One of my friend's mothers did the nursing program. One of my girlfriends registered into a nursing program.
Was nursing your first career choice? I was a clerk at Delaware Valley Community College in Pennsylvania, but felt I needed something to do.
Best part about being a nurse? I love the satisfaction of helping people in any aspect. It's rewarding.
What has kept you in the field? I love nursing. I have done private duty, geriatric, primary care, and now, I'm doing specialty general surgery.
What is your most memorable experience being a nurse? I don't know. I have a lot of experiences. I can't pick just one. I would do this as long as I am physically able to do it. I don't think I would be happy not doing it. I am a real estate agent. I garden and cook. I don't know what I would do just sitting around. I'm honored that my peers and my co-workers thought enough of me to nominate me. I was shocked.
Age: 39
Lives in: Cape May Court House
Number of years in nursing: 16 (RN since 2020)
Why decide on a nursing career? I wanted to be a nurse for as long as I can remember. I was a nurse's aide at age 18 at the Cape Regional Health System.
Was nursing your first career choice? I was a volunteer EMT, a volunteer firefighter and worked with a 911 system while in school, but these were not career choices. It was challenging to get into a RN program. A lot of people were going into the field. There was a nursing shortage. We don't have a lot of different programs. There is ACCC and Stockton. Becoming a LPN was amazing.
Best part of being a nurse? In the special care nursery, we have babies that are 32 weeks and above, newborns. We are caring for the baby and the family as well. It's a stressful time for the family. It's also rewarding. I tell the baby, "I'm your first best friend." I work with a great group of people.
What has kept you in the field? My love for what I do. I love to be in service to others. Health care is always changing. You are always learning. I feel you have to have a passion for it.
What is your most memorable experience being a nurse? You are involved in so many births. My unit is a special care nursery. It is a Level II nursery for babies. There are 10 nurses. "I am honored to work with them. They are so talented and knowledgeable." | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/we-celebrate-south-jersey-nurses-during-national-nurses-week/article_9905a2d8-e9d0-11ed-ac96-ef5d203b7ef9.html | 2023-05-06T09:48:42 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/we-celebrate-south-jersey-nurses-during-national-nurses-week/article_9905a2d8-e9d0-11ed-ac96-ef5d203b7ef9.html |
Children First raises $600,000 at 23rd annual Fairytale Ball fundraiser at Michael's On East
Children First raises $600,000 at 23rd annual Fairytale Ball
Children First raised more than $600,000 during its 23rd annual Fairytale Ball at Michael’s on East that also honored two award recipients and featured a performance by Cirque Vertigo.
Children First parent Maria Somera was honored by the Florida Head Start Association as Parent of the Year, one of the highest honors for a parent in the Head Start Community. Also, Children First CEO Philip Tavill will be honored by the National Head Start Association with the Sargent Shriver Excellence in Community Service Award.
The event included a video celebrating the accomplishments of Kenny Hughes, his wife Lisa, and their son Matthew. “Thank you for changing our lives, and for all the lives you continue to change,” said Kenny Hughes, who serves on Children First's policy council.
Children First strengthens children and families through a comprehensive approach to development, education, health, and well-being. For information, call 941-953-3877 or visit childrenfirst.net.
CreArte Latino Cultural Center presents 'Nuestra Comunidad'
CreArte Latino will present a new informational series, “Nuestra Comunidad” (Our Community), starting on May 17 with Claudia Lozano, a prize-winning poet and psychotherapist.
The program features monthly presentations and community dialogues on topics of interest to the Latino community and was made possible by a $5,000 grant from the Gould Family Trust Foundation at Gulf Coast Community Foundation. The Community Foundation of Sarasota County is also a sponsor.
“Nuestra Comunidad” will be held on the third Wednesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. from May through December. Speakers will include representatives from nonprofits and civic and governmental agencies. Each session will be followed by a Q&A in Spanish. Admission is $5. For information, visit creartelatino.org or call 941-732-7191.
Manatee postal workers hosting 'Stamp Out Hunger' food drive
The U.S. Postal Service will hold a "Stamp Out Hunger" food drive on May 13 to benefit the Food Bank of Manatee, a Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee program. Manatee County residents can leave unopened, nonperishable food items in/near their mailbox that will be collected by postal workers to help those in need.
“This annual event yields thousands of pounds of critically needed food items and we are so grateful for each and every item donated,” said Maribeth Phillips, president of Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee. “We appreciate the spirit in which these items are collected by our dedicated postal workers and will use the donations to feed those in need.”
Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee operates the Food Bank of Manatee, Home-Delivered Meals, Daybreak Adult Day Center, and Friendship Dining Center. To donate, volunteer, or learn more, call 941-747-4655 or visit MealsOnWheelsPLUS.org.
Sponsorships available to support 32nd Siesta Key Fireworks Show
Sponsorships are available from the Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce for the 32nd annual Siesta Key Community Fireworks on July 4 at Siesta Public Beach, 948 Beach Road, Sarasota.
The free fireworks show in partnership with Sarasota County is 100% funded by contributions from businesses and individuals. VIP sponsorship packages begin at $500 and include reserved parking, prime seating, food and beverages. The hospitality area opens at 6 p.m. and the fireworks begin at dusk.
For more information or to secure a sponsorship, visit siestakeychamber.com or call the Chamber office at 941-349-3800.
Around and about ...
The Sarasota Orchestra will celebrate the "Music of Motown” at its annual Outdoor Pops tonight at 8 p.m. at Ed Smith Stadium, 2700 12th St., Sarasota. The concert will feature sounds from the height of the Motown era, including Marvin Gaye, The Four Tops, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, The Temptations, and Stevie Wonder. Tickets/info: Orioles.com/spring; 941-893-6321.
· The Chabad of Venice is hosting the Lag B'Omer BBQ on May 9 at 6 p.m. at the North Manasota Beach Pavilion, 8570 Manasota Key Road, Englewood. The annual tradition celebrates the life of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, a Jewish mystic. The event includes meat and vegetarian options and music by Boris from the Klezmer Freilach Band. Info: chabadofvenice.com/bbq; 941-493-2770.
· The Anna Maria Island Privateers are holding their first Food Trucks, Pirates & Tunes on May 13 from noon to 6 p.m. at Homes Beach City Field, 6001 Marina Drive. The fundraiser will feature more than 15 food trucks, vendors, a chance to tour the Scullywag pirate ship, and music by Southern Cross, Steve Paradis, The 301 Travelers, Cabana Dog, and the Bradentucky Death Rays. Info: amiprivateers.org.
· Second Chance Last Opportunity is hosting its 28th anniversary party, “Git It In Your Soul,” on May 27 from 6-9 p.m. at Sarasota Bayfront Community Center, 655 N. Tamiami Trail, with refreshments and dance music by DJ Al. Celebrate with SCLO staff and volunteers, meet board members and learn more about the nonprofit's mission. Tickets $50. Info/reservations: secondchancelastopportunity.org/events; 941-360-8660.
Submissions by Carol Lackey, Su Byron, Amy Towery, Ann Frescura, Orioles public relations, Yosef Buchman, Jennifer Mais, Lucy H. Hedrick. | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/2023/05/06/children-first-raises-600000-stamp-out-hunger-food-drive-in-manatee/70169129007/ | 2023-05-06T09:59:37 | 1 | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/2023/05/06/children-first-raises-600000-stamp-out-hunger-food-drive-in-manatee/70169129007/ |
Sarasota County Hurricane Ian survivors in need invited to Community Needs Assessment
Sarasota families still reeling from Hurricane Ian damage are invited to take part in Community Needs Assessments being held in North Port and Venice through the middle of May.
Hosted by the Sarasota County Long Term Recovery Group, the confidential, one-on-one meetings will be run by World Renew Disaster Services to help identify and address families’ unmet needs.
Storm survivors from Sarasota County can meet with team members on a walk-in basis to talk about their storm experience and ongoing problems not covered by FEMA or insurance – everything from muck work and drywall tear-out to replacing flooded cars.
Long-term recovery:Applications opened to nonprofits for Hurricane Ian recovery grants in Sarasota area
After Ian:Thousands of Sarasota County residents remain stranded; local groups offer hope
The sessions are expected to last between 30 and 40 minutes. A photo ID and proof of residency are required.
Locations, dates and times are as follows:
- Morgan Family Community Center, 6207 West Price Blvd., North Port
- May 8 and 9: noon to 7 p.m.; Meeting Room
- May 10: 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.: Multi-purpose Room, Side A
- May 11 and 12: noon to 7 p.m.; Meeting Room
- May 13: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Meeting Room
- South Venice Baptist Church, 3167 Englewood Road, Venice
- May 15-18: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- May 19: 9 a.m. to noon
Hundreds of local families remain stranded without help from FEMA or their insurance nearly nine months after Ian tore through Southwest Florida, forcing many to live in campers or their cars.
The findings from the needs assessments will assist the Long Term Recovery Group as it goes after funds and grants to tackle the problems.
The assessments will also help funnel survivors to a massive network of local case management teams organized by the recovery group over the last several months.
The case management teams and trained volunteers will help survivors with everything from painting, drywall repair and other physical damage to mental health and spiritual care for the toxic stress accumulated in the aftermath of the storm.
For more information, visit the Hurricane Ian site of the United Way of South Sarasota County. | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/venice/2023/05/06/sarasota-county-hurricane-ian-survivors-in-need-invited-to-community-needs-assessment/70183473007/ | 2023-05-06T09:59:43 | 1 | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/venice/2023/05/06/sarasota-county-hurricane-ian-survivors-in-need-invited-to-community-needs-assessment/70183473007/ |
Your guide to Fayetteville's museums, from military history to model cities
As the weather heats up and students prepare for summer break, Fayetteville’s museums can offer refuge from the humidity and fun activities for children and adults alike.
Fayetteville is home to seven museums, three of which are located downtown. The areas of focus range from Civil War history to military operations. For the most part, admission is free, with the most expensive ticket topping out at $4. All of the museums are family-friendly.
Here’s your guide to the Can-Do City’s museums.
U.S. Army and Special Operations Museum
Open since 2000, the museum offers exhibitions on the history and culture of the Army’s Airborne and Special Operations Forces from 1940 to the present, according to the museum. A temporary exhibit highlighting the career of Bill Mauldin, a Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist, is on display through June 11.
- Location: 100 Bragg Blvd.
- Admission: Free
- Hours: 10 a.m.to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday
- Website: asomf.org
Fayetteville History Museum
Described as “the hub for history in downtown Fayetteville” and located in a 19th-century railroad depot, the museum educates visitors on Fayetteville’s history through the early 20th century, according to the Parks and Recreation Department. Two new exhibits are scheduled to open this summer, with an exhibit on the history of baseball in Fayetteville opening July 5 and an exhibit on historic trading in the city opening Aug. 15.
- Location: 325 Franklin St.
- Admission: Free
- Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday
- Website: fcpr.us/facilities/museums/fayetteville-area-transportation-and-local-history-museum
Fascinate-U
Founded in 1994, the museum offers hands-on science education to children by taking them through a “mini-city” that explores different jobs in the community, according to its website. The museum will also host 10 summer camps this year, from June 5 to August 11.
- Location: 116 Green St.
- Admission: $3 for adults and $4 for children
- Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.
- Website:fascinate-u.com
Veterans Park
A state park dedicated to all military veterans, Veterans Park offers exhibits on military history in its visitors center, according to the Parks and Recreation Department.
- Location: 300 Bragg Blvd.
- Admission: Free
- Hours: visitors center is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday from March to October and noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday from November to February. The park is open from 8 a.m. to dusk.
- Website: fcpr.us/parks-trails/parks/north-carolina-veterans-park
More:Don’t call it a museum and 3 other themes about Fayetteville’s history center
Museum of the Cape Fear
The museum offers permanent exhibits on the history of the Cape Fear Valley and a variety of temporary exhibits, with an exhibition on the history of barbeque in North Carolina scheduled to run from June 10 to Aug. 27, according to the museum. The complex also includes the 1897 Poe House, a historic home built by a wealthy Fayetteville businessman, which visitors can explore through guided tours available Tuesday-Sunday.
- Location: 801 Arsenal Ave.
- Admission: Free
- Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday
- Website:museumofthecapefear.ncdcr.gov
More:Fun places civilians can visit on Fort Bragg
82nd Airborne Division War Memorial Museum
Located on Fort Bragg, the museum has focused since 1945 on sharing the history of the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division from 1917 to the present, according to its website. Visitors without a Department of Defense-issued ID must stop by Fort Bragg's All American gate to obtain a visitor pass. Anyone 18 and over must present a valid ID in order to receive a pass, according to Fort Bragg's website.
- Location: 5108 Ardennes St., Building C-6841, Fort Bragg
- Admission: Free
- Hours: 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday
- Website:82ndairbornedivisionmuseum.com
Special Warfare Museum
The John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Museum is located on Fort Bragg and details the history of the Army's John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, which trains soldiers in civil affairs, psychological operations and Special Forces operations, according to its website. Visitors without a Department of Defense-issued ID must stop by Fort Bragg's All American gate to obtain a visitor pass. Anyone 18 and over must present a valid ID in order to receive a pass, according to Fort Bragg's website.
- Location: 2815 Ardennes St., Building D-2815, Fort Bragg
- Admission: Free
- Hours: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday
- Website: https://specialwarfaremuseum.org/
Public safety reporter Lexi Solomon can be reached at ABSolomon@gannett.com. | https://www.fayobserver.com/story/news/local/2023/05/06/fayetteville-museum-guide-everything-you-need-to-know/70142311007/ | 2023-05-06T11:13:54 | 1 | https://www.fayobserver.com/story/news/local/2023/05/06/fayetteville-museum-guide-everything-you-need-to-know/70142311007/ |
In his second term in office, state Sen. Mike Testa, R-Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic, has been the object of statewide attention and is being talked about as a future gubernatorial or congressional candidate.
Testa was named politician of the year for 2022 and the GOP legislator to watch in 2023 by political columnist Alan Steinberg in a January Insider NJ post, in spite of being in the minority party facing an uphill battle to get bills passed.
The Vineland native, who turned 47 on May 1, and is running for reelection against Democratic challenger Charles R. Laspata, also of Vineland.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka mentioned Testa by name in his state of the city speech, angry over a bill Testa had introduced that drew attention to Newark being duped into signing a sister-city agreement with the nonexistent United States of Kailasa.
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It set off a tiff between the two that only got Testa more statewide coverage.
Testa said Thursday he was surprised by Baraka’s anger over his bill, which would require the New Jersey Department of State to research and approve any sister city agreements.
LINWOOD — There was one contest for the Atlantic County Republican committee to vote on at i…
“It probably doesn’t (have a chance of passage) after the way Mayor Baraka made it so personal,” Testa said. “I wanted to make sure no other municipality suffers such an embarrassment.”
In naming Testa politician of the year, Steinberg cited Testa’s orchestrating a historic Republican takeover of the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners as county GOP chair, and crafting legislation to combat pork barrel spending in the state.
“He is a far more appealing figure than virtually all other New Jersey conservative political or media figures,” Steinberg wrote. “The MAGA types project Trumpist anger, grievance, and pessimism. Testa projects Reaganesque opportunity, optimism, and hope.”
Testa also continues to push for passage of a bill he first introduced in 2021, the “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act,” which requires that participation in school-sanctioned sports be based on biological sex at birth at public and nonpublic schools, as well as institutions of higher education.
“I think there are a lot of people (Democrats) that behind closed doors are ready to admit to me they agree with me,” Testa said when asked if it has a chance at passage. “I want to protect girls in sports and the spirit and intent of Title IX. That is what this is about. It is not about me having any inherent bias against trans individuals.”
Testa, the father of two young daughters, said he was a Division I tennis player for Villanova University and remembers seeing sisters Venus and Serena Williams defeated by male tennis player Karsten Braasch in exhibition matches at the 1998 Australian Open.
In Cumberland County, registered Democrats far outnumber registered Republicans, yet the GOP…
Braasch was ranked 203rd in the world when the sisters were still teens but ranked 19th and 53rd of women players on their way to the top 10 by 2002.
“They were already mega stars. They really got crushed by him,” Testa said. “Not to take anything away from the accomplishments of the Williams sisters. It is the difference between the strength and speed of biological males vs. biological females.”
Testa was the New Jersey chairman of the Trump reelection campaign in 2020, and for some that association remains strong.
In a Thursday interview, Testa said he will run like he’s 20 points behind, even though he and his team were reelected with about 64% of the vote in 2021.
Redistricting changed things a bit, he said.
“Now I have the city of Bridgeton,” Testa said of the Democratic stronghold that used to be in the 3rd Legislative District until redistricting after the 2020 Census.
The nation’s airwaves and newspapers are full of news and analysis of the Nov. 8 federal mid…
And several Republican towns moved to the 3rd, he said, including Hopewell Township, Shiloh, Stow Creek Township and Greenwich Township.
“He’s a very talented politician,” said Ben Dworkin, director of the Rowan Institute for Public Policy & Citizenship at Rowan University. “He’s very engaged in the local community, and his family has been very engaged for years.”
Testa, a well-known Vineland lawyer, burst on the political scene in 2019 when he and his team swept the 1st District legislative race, despite being outspent about 3:1 by Democrats, according to a report by the state Election Law Enforcement Commission.
That’s when Testa and his team of Assembly candidates, Antwan McClellan and Erik Simonsen, defeated a Democratic slate headed by incumbent state Sen. Bob Andrzejczak, of Cape May.
It was the only Senate race on the ballot that year, to fill the unexpired term of then Democratic U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, who had just been elected to Congress.
The 1st District race was the state’s costliest that year, with candidates and independent groups spending a combined $2.96 million — $1.88 million by the candidates and $1.1 million by groups.
Republicans swept the 1st District legislative race and almost won in the 2nd, despite being…
Democratic candidates spent $1.83 million to the Republicans’ $641,000. All of the $1.1 million spent by independent groups supported Democrats, ELEC said.
It was the first time the GOP gained seats in the Legislature in a decade, according to ELEC.
“The district was always favorable and has become more favorable for Republicans,” Dworkin said.
There are 58,304 unaffiliated voters in the 1st District, 49,429 Democratic voters and 53,380 Republican voters.
A red wave hit New Jersey in the 2021 legislative races, which even saw longtime state Senate President Steve Sweeney D-Salem, Gloucester, Cumberland, lose his seat in the 3rd District.
Also losing their seats in 2021 were Assemblymen Vince Mazzeo and John Armato, both D-Atlantic, in the 2nd District.
The red wave that hit New Jersey in this year’s legislative races had its birth in the much …
That red wave had its birth in the Testa team’s 2019 win, according to a 2021 report by ELEC.
As for the future, “I don’t know what title I’d like to hold other than state senator,” Testa said. “I want to leave a lasting impact and legacy in South Jersey.”
A statewide run may happen at some future point, he said.
“I can tell you if anything I learned by watching the 2021 election, it is you have to focus on the race in front of you,” Testa said. “I am solely focused on having the LD1 team reelected. We are a band of brothers there.”
His immediate goals also include seeing Republicans sweep all seven seats on the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners, and win the sheriff and surrogate races, too.
“I believe we absolutely can do it and will do it,” Testa said. “We proved since 2019 the huge shift in the legislative district and in Cumberland County. Legislative District 1 is the tip of the Republican spear in the state of New Jersey.”
State Sen. Michael Testa is making a renewed push for legislation he says will protect women…
How far will this success take Testa in the future?
“Because he’s an articulate, attractive politician, he will always have a voice within the Trenton circle,” Dworkin said.
But in Dworkin’s opinion, the state is too blue for Testa to have a good shot at the Governor’s Office. Registered Democrats outnumber registered Republicans by almost 1 million, Dworkin said.
And the population advantage goes to the North. Gov. James Florio was the last South Jersey politician to become governor, and that was in 1990 to 1994.
That’s why other political observers talk about Testa as a natural GOP candidate for Congress after Van Drew, whose 2nd Congressional District is much more favorable than the state to Republican candidates.
Whatever Testa does, people will likely talk about it.
“He is clearly setting himself as one of the dominant Republican voices in South Jersey,” Dworkin said. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/deep-south-jersey-has-a-rising-political-star-in-mike-testa-how-far-will-he/article_3d407918-e841-11ed-8ada-23858bc8bdef.html | 2023-05-06T11:16:31 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/deep-south-jersey-has-a-rising-political-star-in-mike-testa-how-far-will-he/article_3d407918-e841-11ed-8ada-23858bc8bdef.html |
BOYS LACROSSE
10 a.m.
Ocean City at St. Augustine
Holy Spirit at Moorestown
2 p.m.
Barnegat at Wall Twp.
2:30 p.m.
Lower Cape May at Mainland
GIRLS LACROSSE
10:30 a.m.
Highland at Our Lady of Mercy
11 a.m.
Spring-Ford vs. Ocean City at Tennessee Avenue Field
2 p.m.
Egg Harbor Twp. at Southern
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BASEBALL
Ocean County Tournament first round
9 a.m.
Toms River South at Lacey Twp.
3:30 p.m.
Jackson Liberty at Southern
Diamond Classic second round
Noon
Cedar Creek at Egg Harbor Twp.
Cinnaminson at St. Augustine
Other games
10 a.m.
Wildwood vs. Clayton at Doubleday Field
11 a.m.
ACIT vs. Middle Twp. at Clarence Davies Sports Complex
1 p.m.
Cumberland at New Hope-Solebury
2 p.m.
Notre Dame at Egg Harbor Twp.
SOFTBALL
8 a.m.
Betty Howell Tournament at Oakcrest
10 a.m.
Barnegat at Brick Memorial
11 a.m.
Shawnee at Cedar Creek
Kingsway at Egg Harbor Twp.
FLAG FOOTBALL
10 a.m.
Middle Twp. at Absegami
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
10 a.m.
Pinelands at West Windsor-Plainsboro South
11:30 a.m.
Williamstown at Egg Harbor Twp.
3:30 p.m.
Pleasantville vs. Saint John Vianney at Southern
BOYS AND GIRLS CREW
10 a.m.
Philadelphia City Championships at Schuylkill River
BOYS AND GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD
9 a.m.
South Jersey Open at Delsea Reg.
1 p.m.
SJTCA Meet at Rancocas Valley | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/high-school-schedule-for-saturday-may-6-2023/article_984fbfde-ea9a-11ed-8374-b7d28f77858e.html | 2023-05-06T11:16:44 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/high-school-schedule-for-saturday-may-6-2023/article_984fbfde-ea9a-11ed-8374-b7d28f77858e.html |
North Alabama strawberries are back and people are berry happy. Multiple exclamation points follow Facebook posts with pictures of buckets of berries brought home and one of the area’s biggest strawberry farmers is breathing a sigh of relief.
A cold snap in March killed more than a few early strawberries in Madison County this year, farmers say. Katie Magee, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Huntsville, confirmed the cold saying temperatures were between 18 and 21 degrees Fahrenheit for four days from March 18 to March 21.
That was after temperatures in the 60s and 70s had “everything greened up,” Magee said. The result was a blow for strawberries and a lot of other early greenery.
“We covered them up, but we couldn’t protect them down to 19 degrees,” Noel Brown of Browns Strawberry Farm said Friday of his crop in north Madison County. Brown’s business is a popular pick-your-own or buy-a-bucket spot.
“We were open for three or four days,” Brown said of this short-circuited early March. “If you remember, trees put out buds early this year. Well, it did the same thing to the strawberries.”
A night or two of 19-degree temperatures killed the early buds. Farm workers covered the plants, but Brown said they couldn’t protect them at that temperature.
Brown’s wasn’t the only crop at risk. West of Huntsville near Athens, another popular farm-to-customer operation, Isom’s Orchard, posted pictures on social media of peach tree buds in coats of ice sprayed on by crews that worked all night. It’s called a “frost shield,” the orchard said, and it’s better to wear a 32-degree coat than face temps in the teens uncovered.
Isom’s and Brown’s both have strawberries now, according to a visit and social media. Isom’s couldn’t be reached by phone Friday to talk about the peaches’ progress, but Brown’s had a steady stream of customers Friday morning including a class of young students picking their own berries.
Brown also grows cotton, corn, soybeans and corn and has been in the strawberry business for 26 years. People come back every year, he said, and the farm has accommodated them with a gift shop and a choice between pre-picked strawberries or buckets to fill yourself.
A popular drive-through pickup spot is also open this year. It was started during the pandemic to keep the business going and proved popular, Brown said.
Brown said strawberries should be available for another 2 or 3 weeks, maybe longer. The business is open six days a week from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. and Sundays from 12 to 6 p.m. | https://www.al.com/local/2023/05/north-alabama-strawberries-are-back-after-an-early-spring-freeze.html | 2023-05-06T11:22:56 | 1 | https://www.al.com/local/2023/05/north-alabama-strawberries-are-back-after-an-early-spring-freeze.html |
Living Christ Lutheran Church
May 7 — 500 W. Riordan Road, 500 W. Riordan Road, Flagstaff. 928-526-8595. 10-11 a.m., We invite all to celebrate with us God’s love and presence in our lives and be God’s hands in the world. We are intentionally inclusive. We worship through music, teaching, prayer, and the sacraments each Sunday at 10 a.m., at the Campus Ministry Center located on the NAU campus or join us online. Join Rev. Kurt Fangmeier for the Fifth Sunday of Easter! As we continue to celebrate the fifty days of Easter, today’s gospel includes Jesus’ promise that he goes to prepare a place for his followers in his Father’s house. Our baptism commissions us to share Jesus’ mission in the world. As 1 Peter reminds us, we are a holy people, called to proclaim the one who called us out of darkness into light. In words and deeds, we bear witness to the risen Christ—our way, our truth, our life. We will learn more with our Reading of Acts 7:55-60 (The martyrdom of Stephen) Psalm 31:1-5,15-16(Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit) and Reading 1 Peter 2:2-10(God’s people chosen to proclaim God’s mighty acts), together with the Gospel John 14:1-14 (Christ the way, truth, and life). https://go.evvnt.com/1710360-0.
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Peace Lutheran ChurchMay 7 — 3430 N. Fourth St., 3430 N. Fourth St., Flagstaff. 928-526-9578. 10-11 a.m., We invite you to join the family of Peace Lutheran Church (LCMS) on Sunday at 10:00am for in person blended service (Combined Liturgical, hymnal based and Praise Worship) with Holy Communion. Pastor William Weiss Jr. (Pastor Bill) will be presiding. The service will be live streamed on our website (peacelutheranflagstaff.org) and on YouTube. Fellowship and refreshments are available before the worship service beginning 9:15am. https://go.evvnt.com/1709279-0.
Unity of Flagstaff Spiritual Center
May 7 — Unity of Flagstaff Spiritual Center, 1800 S. Milton Road, Flagstaff. 10:30-11:30 a.m., In the Flow…Where did it go? Ever been there? That place in life where it just seems that everything is flowing and falling perfectly into place, and then suddenly you are swimming upstream? Where did it go? How do I get back into the FLOW? Rev Penni takes a look at how we navigate the waters of life and asks the question, “Where is the FLOW?” Ryan Biter with music. 10:30 AM Live or Livestream. Unity of Flagstaff-Where God is too big for Religion. ALL are WELCOME! Tuesday 10 AM Chair/Floor Yoga Wed. 3 pm Integrated Movement. https://go.evvnt.com/1715560-0.
Flagstaff Federated Community Church
Please join us for in person services Sundays at 10 a.m. We are located at 400 W Aspen Ave. on the corner of Aspen and Sitgreaves in Downtown Flagstaff. All are welcome to our services. For more information about Flagstaff Federated Community Church please call our office at 928-774-7383, Mon – Thurs 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Church of the Resurrection Sunday Church Services 740 W. University Heights Drive S., 740 W. University Heights Drive S., Flagstaff. 928-853-8522. 10-11:30 a.m., Church of the Resurrection Presbyterian Church in America (PCA): We invite you to join us for worship at 10 a.m. on Sundays at 740 W. University Heights Drive South. Please feel free to contact us for information on our mid-week gatherings and for more information on our church. You can find us at www.cor-pca.org and www.facebook.com/CORFlagstaff or we can be reached at corflagstaff@gmail.com and (928) 699-2715.
Leupp Nazarene Church The church, near mile post 13 or Navajo Route 15, has been holding services by teleconferences and doing drive-up meetings. For information, call pastor Farrell Begay at 928-853-5321. Teleconference number: 1-7170275-8940 with access code 3204224#. Services are 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Sundays and 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays.
Christian Science Society of Flagstaff 619 W. Birch Ave. The Christian Science Society of Flagstaff has opened for Sunday services while continuing to have them available via Zoom for online and phone. Wednesday testimony meetings are available only via Zoom. For phone Sunday Services: Dial: 669-900-9128, Meeting ID: 369 812 794#, Passcode: 075454#. For phone Wednesday meetings, dial: 669-900-9128, Meeting ID: 971 672 834#, Passcode: 894826#. The access for Zoom on Sundays is: https://zoom.us/j/369812794. The Zoom access for Wednesdays is: https://zoom.us/j/971672834. The password to use to enter both is CSS. We welcome all to attend our Sunday Services in person, or live by Zoom, at 10:00 o’clock, and to attend our Wednesday Testimony meetings live by Zoom, at 5:30 o’clock. Our Reading Room will be open on Wednesdays from 4:00—5:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 10-noon. For further information please call 928-526-5982. | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/flagstaff-religion-news-for-may-6-2023/article_489ede20-eaef-11ed-bae7-cfeb3a7f0263.html | 2023-05-06T11:35:13 | 1 | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/flagstaff-religion-news-for-may-6-2023/article_489ede20-eaef-11ed-bae7-cfeb3a7f0263.html |
Police in Philadelphia are investigating after a man was found dead on a West Philadelphia sidewalk early Saturday.
According to police, officers responding to a report of the sound of gunshots found a man, after he had been shot at least once in the head, on the sidewalk along the 4900 block of Catherine Street at about 3 a.m. on Saturday.
An official on the scene told NBC10 the victim -- who is believed to be in his late 20s to early 30s -- was pronounced at the scene.
Also, investigators said a handgun was found on the sidewalk near the victim's body.
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So far, police said they have made no arrests and have no motive for this shooting, but the incident remains under investigation.
This is a breaking news story. It will be updated as new information becomes available.
There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here.
Local
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
Sign up for our Breaking newsletter to get the most urgent news stories in your inbox. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/man-dies-in-early-morning-shooting-in-west-philadelphia/3560914/ | 2023-05-06T11:47:45 | 0 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/man-dies-in-early-morning-shooting-in-west-philadelphia/3560914/ |
I’m standing on the edge of a point on Angel Island, looking out at San Francisco, which is obscured by a cottony layer of fog. The city isn’t too far away, and the blue and green bay waters are clearly visible, but here at Point Stuart, I’m still finding it easy to imagine the isolation of living in the middle of the bay a hundred or so years ago.
Back then, there was a lighthouse just below this spot and a keeper who lived here to maintain it. The ships on the bay brought supplies to San Francisco, and the thick summer fog could mean disaster for boats passing close to the island’s rocky shores. It also meant that living in a lighthouse on the island was a relatively solitary experience, despite the fact that today Angel Island is only a 15-minute ferry trip from the city.
Once the Point Blunt lighthouse was built in 1960, Angel Island had three lighthouses — the only place in the U.S. that could make this claim. But by that time, the island was already on its way to becoming the state park I’m visiting today.
Once you leave Angel Island’s busy paved perimeter road behind, the life of a lighthouse keeper doesn’t feel so far away. This hike to Point Stuart seems a world apart even from the tiny town of Tiburon, which I can see just over my right shoulder. It’s so peaceful standing here, with the entire bay in view and all its bustle removed.
It’s the first time I’ve ever hiked this trail, even though I’ve been to Angel Island many times. It’s nowhere to be found on any island guides; they cover its history as an immigration station and a military installation, mostly.
Instead, I was led on this hike via a Google Maps search and a children’s book about Juliet Fish Nichols, a lighthouse keeper who kept a warning fog bell ringing for three days and nights on the island, by hand, after the machinery that operated it unexpectedly broke down. This happened just after the 1906 earthquake, when delivering supplies to the city was crucial, and no one had the capacity to handle an additional disaster, like a shipwreck.
Just like in Nichols’ day, the area feels secluded, except for my hiking companions — a group of families, including the dad responsible for finding this stellar hidden hike. When I hang back from the crowd for a bit, all I can hear is the wind whipping around my head. I’m surrounded by tall grasses and clumps of wildflowers.
To begin our hike, we started from the ferry terminal and headed up the road past the cafe and tram stop, turning right on the Perimeter Road toward the city. This paved path around the island doesn’t have much of an incline and is a good walk by itself, though it’s well-publicized and well-traversed, both by hikers and the island’s frequent tram tours. Along the way, we passed glorious bushes of Pride of Madeira, a spiky purple bloom native to Portugal. For a time, Angel Island was overtaken by nonnative plants like these, especially European grasses, which are annuals that go brown in the summer.
After about a quarter mile, we turned off the Perimeter Road above Camp Reynolds, where the Coast Miwok once established camps to hunt and fish (they used Point Stuart, too). We picked up the Point Stuart Loop trial near a derelict building, a public restroom and a bike campsite. It’s a narrow path through the native plants that are again thriving on the island: brush like manzanita, chamise, sage and toyon. And wildflowers, too, once we wound our way into the open.
By the time we reached the point, my iNaturalist app was working overtime. It was a blessing I had cell service, because I could take photos of the flowers I spotted and get instant IDs to please the kids and moms with us, who were full of questions about the bright blooms. (The Angel Island Conservancy also has its own app with photos of area flora, so cell service is less crucial to using it.)
We saw the pale purple blossoms known as blue dicks, a baby pink variety of fluffy lupine I’d never seen before, and small, low blue-eyed grass, whose purple petals and yellow middles make them look like they have eyes.
The trail meanders along the narrow spine of the point out to the edge of the island, with fantastic views. To our right, white-sailed boats passed back and forth in Raccoon Strait, the narrow waterway that separates Angel Island from Tiburon. Its colors rival the Caribbean on sunny days, with tropical aqua tones close to the shore.
On the other side was the city, also winding its way precariously along a point above the bay. It wore its white shrug of fog, and then once we departed the point, the clouds had faded away. Ahead of us over the water stood the Golden Gate Bridge, also draped in a foggy cloak.
The lighthouse was somewhere below us, out of view (pictures online from locals show it can be spotted from the water, clinging to the island).
One of us read aloud Caroline Arnold’s “Keeper of the Light: Juliet Fish Nichols Fights the San Francisco Fog” to the kids, who were rapt at the story. I thought about being alone on the island, watching from afar the devastation happening in the city on April 18, 1906, and in the days after. At that time, the lighthouse on Point Stuart hadn’t been built yet — Nichols was stationed to the south, at Point Knox, the original 1886 lighthouse.
“We call it a lighthouse, but it doesn’t look like a lighthouse we imagine,” Arnold, the book’s author, told SFGATE. “It’s a fog bell station. The bell was a 3,000-pound bronze bell mounted on a platform. The lighthouse keeper, who in this case was Juliet Nichols, would wind the machine that struck the bell at regular intervals.”
The bell is still there at Point Knox, Arnold said, positing that it was just too heavy to move when the lighthouse closed. With binoculars, and even the naked eye, you can see it from Point Stuart, but you have to know what you’re looking for. (You can’t get to Point Knox anymore on foot.) In Nichols’ day, she had to walk 151 steps down a cliff just to get to the fog bell.
She was one of three female lighthouse keepers working in California in the early 1900s, according to Arnold. “As a job for a woman [at that time], when you think about it, you have to be healthy and strong, you have to be willing to live alone,” she said. “We have to admire these women.”
Nichols is remarkable, to be sure. So is the fact that her valiant efforts, memorialized more than a century later, can still capture the attention of modern schoolchildren. And it’s also remarkable that her story helped us find a hidden hike, to a great view, along a path dotted with wildflowers in our ever-more-bustling Bay Area.
Ferries leave for Angel Island from Tiburon from Wednesday to Sunday and seven days a week from San Francisco’s Ferry Terminal. The Point Stuart Loop Trail is reached from the Perimeter Road above Camp Reynolds, about a quarter mile from the ferry landing. The hike is about 2 miles round trip.
— Kirby Cove hike offers Golden Gate Bridge views, minus the crowds
— The ruins of a 1910s sanitarium are hidden in the East Bay hills
— A springtime hike to San Francisco's most secluded beach
— I followed a rumor and hiked to a hidden Bay Area labyrinth
— This rewarding Bay Area trail starts behind a hardware store in Pacifica | https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/lighthouse-angel-island-bay-area-hike-18079202.php | 2023-05-06T12:08:57 | 1 | https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/lighthouse-angel-island-bay-area-hike-18079202.php |
MELBOURNE, Fla. – Three men were hospitalized early Saturday after police responded to a shooting reported in downtown Melbourne, chasing down and arresting two other men who dropped one of the victims off at Holmes Regional Medical Center, according to a news release.
The shooting occurred around 1:23 a.m. in the 800 block of E New Haven Avenue, the release states. Police believe that a fight broke out in the street — where many people were at the time, as downtown nightclubs were still open — which led to one or more people shooting at each other. Officers located the crowd and a crime scene when they arrived, but found no victims, according to the department.
Officers traveled to HRMC a short time later after being notified three men with gunshot wounds were brought there for treatment. Two of the men were in critical condition and one was non-critical at last check, police said.
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Police showing up to the hospital stopped a car that had dropped off a victim, chasing the two uninjured men inside who fled on foot and arresting them both on accusations of resisting an officer. Their involvement in the shooting, if any, remains unclear at the time of this report, according to the release.
No other information was shared.
The Melbourne Police Department urged anyone who witnessed the shooting to get in contact at (321) 608-6731, or to call Central Florida Crimeline at 800-423-TIPS (8477) to remain anonymous.
This is a developing story. Check back here for updates.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/05/06/3-hurt-after-fight-leads-to-shooting-in-crowded-downtown-melbourne-police-say/ | 2023-05-06T12:10:03 | 1 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/05/06/3-hurt-after-fight-leads-to-shooting-in-crowded-downtown-melbourne-police-say/ |
100 years ago: $100 vehicle sale at C.W. Frey & Sons
Learn to navigate the Newspapers.com database, perform browsing and complex search functions, and save clippings using a free user account. Tutorial developed by the University of Alabama Libraries.
How Time Flies is a daily feature looking back at Pantagraph archives to revisit what was happening in our community and region.
100 years ago
May 6, 1923: Beginning Tuesday morning, C.W. Frey & Sons at Washington and Madison streets will close out 10 automobiles, regardless of true values at $100 each. If you've got nerve enough to tell your family "We can't afford a car" after you look at these, then we must frankly say that you are one who can get away with anything.
75 years ago
May 6, 1948: Increases in equipment and enlistments have forced Bloomington's National Guard unit into the street. On Wednesday, in order to provide room in the armory at 315 S. Center St., mobile equipment was moved into the street. Lt. Col. Richard T. Dunn said permission had been received from city officials.
50 years ago
May 6, 1973: Two recent University of Illinois Law School graduates have been employed as assistants to State's Attorney Paul R. Welch. They are Bradley W. Murphy, 24, a Heyworth native, and Ronald Dozier, 25, a native of Mill Shoals.
25 years ago
May 6, 1998: Illinois Power Co. officials said the company's Clinton nuclear power plant will continue to be shut down until at least October, and that could mean another summer of potential power shortages. The plant has been shut down since Sept. 5, 1996, when a pumpseal leak was mishandled by technicians. Work to identify and correct problems remains underway.
101 years ago: See vintage Pantagraph ads from 1922 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/history/100-years-ago-100-vehicle-sale-at-c-w-frey-sons/article_b0791a88-e496-11ed-b892-bbffcbb227ef.html | 2023-05-06T12:20:53 | 0 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/history/100-years-ago-100-vehicle-sale-at-c-w-frey-sons/article_b0791a88-e496-11ed-b892-bbffcbb227ef.html |
NORMAL — Virginia Avenue between South Linden and Hillcrest streets will be closed to traffic starting at 8 a.m. Monday.
The road closure is expected to last until noon, weather permitting.
The road closure is required for tree stump removal near the intersection. | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/virginia-avenue-closure-planned-monday-in-normal/article_cb8775ea-eabd-11ed-a083-57f17ecad914.html | 2023-05-06T12:21:00 | 1 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/virginia-avenue-closure-planned-monday-in-normal/article_cb8775ea-eabd-11ed-a083-57f17ecad914.html |
The Animal Park at the Conservators Center has a new big cat, 11-year-old Violet.
The black leopard arrived at the nonprofit park in Caswell County in April, according to a news release from the center. She was retired from another facility, but the release did not name the site.
Black leopards are usually found in the dense tropical rain forest of Southeast Asia, where their coloration acts as camouflage in the low sunlight conditions of dense tropical rain forests.
The color of their coat is the result of a genetic variation that’s recessive and known as “melanism.” They have a black undercoat and a black spot pattern that's visible in sunlight.
In captivity, the leopards can live up to 20 years, according to Creation Kingdom Zoo. Their wild population is threatened due to hunting and loss of habitat.
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“Leopards are a critically important large cat species,” Mindy Stinner, the animal park's founder and director, said in the release. “They are solitary animals who coexist in the same space as lions and hyenas in the wild and have adapted their behaviors to avoid clashing with these group predators.”
Violet’s habitat features two 16-foot towers, suited for a species known for hauling its prey up tall trees. The center is located at 676 E. Hughes Mill Road. It is open weekends and certain holidays. For prices and more information, go to animalparknc.org. | https://greensboro.com/news/local/black-leopard-zoo-animal-park/article_054a531c-eb7a-11ed-b548-572e9f5a3c61.html | 2023-05-06T12:26:55 | 1 | https://greensboro.com/news/local/black-leopard-zoo-animal-park/article_054a531c-eb7a-11ed-b548-572e9f5a3c61.html |
Funds available through Habitat for Humanity’s ‘Aging in Place’ program for Emmet County seniors
EMMET COUNTY — The Northwest Michigan Habitat for Humanity is looking for Emmet County seniors in need of home repair services to apply to their Senior Citizen Home Repair Program.
The program is for homeowners 60 years of age and older and is beneficial for senior homeowners on a fixed income living in Emmet County with home repair, accessibility or modification needs.
The Senior Citizen Home Repair Program is done in partnership with Emmet County and is designed to allow senior citizens to remain in their homes safely and affordably.
According to Habitat for Humanity officials, aging members of the community are facing unique needs as the housing crisis and increasing cost of materials and skilled labor make downsizing to another home or the ability to make critical home repairs more difficult.
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New funding sources allow Northwest Michigan Habitat for Humanity to complete these repairs and modifications without requiring a monthly repayment, like the group’s standard repair program.
“Northwest Michigan Habitat for Humanity is incredibly well known throughout our ‘Up North’ community for building new, affordable homes, but we have so many other opportunities to help current homeowners, too,” said Emily Boehm, program services manager. “A central tenet of (Northwest Michigan Habitat for Humanity) is helping folks ‘age in place’ gracefully, and this program is designed to help area seniors stay in their homes and age with grace and dignity.”
Interested parties should contact the Northwest Michigan Habitat for Humanity office to determine if their need is covered.
The group can assist with:
- Accessibility modifications like entry ramps, bathroom reconfiguration, grab bars, etc.
- Home system repairs or replacements like water heaters, furnaces, septic systems, wells, electrical systems, plumbing, etc.
- Home maintenance needs like roof replacement, structural issues, window or siding replacement, etc.
- Overcrowding issues and more.
Emmet County homeowners who are age 60 or older, living on a fixed income, and in need of critical home repairs or accessibility modifications that they cannot afford can apply for repair assistance at northwestmihabitat.org, by calling (231) 348-6926 or emailing Emily@NorthwestMIHabitat.org. | https://www.petoskeynews.com/story/news/local/2023/05/06/funds-available-through-habitat-for-humanitys-aging-in-place-program-for-emmet-county-seniors/70184782007/ | 2023-05-06T12:32:06 | 0 | https://www.petoskeynews.com/story/news/local/2023/05/06/funds-available-through-habitat-for-humanitys-aging-in-place-program-for-emmet-county-seniors/70184782007/ |
News Tribune, May 6, 1983
- Winnie Ecklund of Duluth was named Port Cities Woman of the Year yesterday by an assembly of women's groups from Duluth, Superior, Cloquet, Hermantown and Proctor. Her community activities include the West Duluth Women's Club, the YWCA, and the Women's Institute.
- Hours after a Minnesota House committee passed a bill including $3.5 million for a UMD school of engineering, a Senate committee yesterday removed all but $300,000. The differences between the two versions of the bill will likely be resolved in a conference committee.
News Tribune, May 6, 1923
- A new road to drive from Duluth and Superior to St. Paul and Minneapolis is now available for motorists. Wisconsin State Highway No. 35 has been under construction for several years and has now been declared safe and in good condition.
- More than 250,000 tons of coal were brought into the Duluth-Superior harbor yesterday on the opening day of the 1923 navigation season. The steamer Harvester was the first boat to enter the harbor from lower lake ports this year, arriving at 10:05 a.m. | https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/bygones-wisconsin-state-highway-no-35-opened-100-years-ago | 2023-05-06T12:39:19 | 1 | https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/bygones-wisconsin-state-highway-no-35-opened-100-years-ago |
If you're on the west side of Manhattan Saturday morning and hear a series of loud booms, don't be alarmed, there is nothing going wrong.
From 10:05 a.m.-10:10 a.m., there will be celebratory blank cannon fire in honor of the USS Cooperstown Commissioning Ceremony and rehearsal, police said Friday night.
The cannon will fire about 19 times, police said, so expect multiple booming noises to be heard throughout the area near Hudson River Greenway and West 48th Street. So those especially in the Hell's Kitchen area enjoying breakfast or an early brunch may be briefly disturbed.
Get Tri-state area news and weather forecasts to your inbox. Sign up for NBC New York newsletters. | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/why-a-cannon-will-be-fired-repeatedly-saturday-morning-on-hudson-river-near-midtown/4308871/ | 2023-05-06T12:39:23 | 0 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/why-a-cannon-will-be-fired-repeatedly-saturday-morning-on-hudson-river-near-midtown/4308871/ |
Burleigh County has worked out an agreement with townships regarding state relief money following the near record-breaking snow season.
The winter slammed Bismarck with 101.2 inches of snow, just 0.5 inches shy of a city record and more than double the city's average total snowfall of 50.5 inches. Many other jurisdictions around the state also saw near-record totals.
The Legislature’s response was Senate Bill 2183, which will provide $20 million in snow removal aid to cities, counties, townships and tribal governments. Townships are to submit costs through their respective counties, according to North Dakota Department of Emergency Services spokesman Eric Jensen.
The aid is split into two pots -- $15 million for costs incurred from October through December, and $5 million for costs from October to April 30.
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Applicants must show they exceeded 150% of their average yearly snow removal cost, with their average based on their four lowest-cost years from 2017-21 in order to qualify for aid from one or both pots. Applicants can be reimbursed up to 60% of costs in excess of the 150% of their four-year average.
Burleigh officials met with township officials in April to discuss the aid, since townships in the county did not qualify for aid due to agreements with the county.
Townships pay a set annual fee to the county for township road maintenance that includes snow removal but also covers things such as grass cutting and sign maintenance. The fee’s goal is to recover 50% of the cost of service in a calendar year by averaging the expenses of the prior three years, according to County Engineer Marcus Hall. The county's budget year is January to December.
Townships' costs would have swelled for the next three years due to 2022's extraordinary snow removal costs.
The agreement between the county and townships will not increase township road maintenance fees for three years -- to allow the abnormal 2022 year to clear the three-year average -- and the county also will cover all of the township's dozing costs this past snow season. The county received so much snow that local contractors with dozers were hired to push snow from roadways into fields. The dozing costs are usually split halfway between townships and the county.
The snow season spans parts of two years and doesn't align with the county budget year, but Hall said, "We always have some minor issues with the snow season being different then the budget season, but it generally works out in the wash."
The deal was made to cut out the process where the county receives aid and distributes it to townships only for townships to return the money when they pay their maintenance fees. The county will keep all relief money it receives.
“This was a paperwork deal,” County Commissioner Steve Schwab said.
The commission on Monday unanimously approved the arrangement.
Burleigh County is requesting nearly $1.9 million in state aid -- $462,676 from the first pot and roughly $1.4 million from the second pot.
The city of Bismarck, which lies in Burleigh County, submitted its own application for nearly $900,000 in aid from the first pot. The city has not yet calculated costs for the second pot, according to Public Works Director Steve Salwei.
A total of 46 counties, 164 cities and one tribe applied for relief money, according to Jensen. Amounts to be reimbursed have not yet been calculated.
Costs are calculated by totaling labor costs, equipment costs, rented equipment and operator costs, contractor services costs, pushback and hauling costs, and materials.
Morton County applied for the first pot and intends to apply for the second. The county is waiting on the Department of Emergency Services to determine how much it will receive.
The program opened on April 4 and the deadline to register for the program and submit documentation for the first phase was April 30. Documentation for the second phase is needed by May 31; payments will be made by June 30. | https://bismarcktribune.com/news/local/burleigh-county-applies-for-snow-relief-aid-works-out-deal-with-townships/article_4957dd8a-e865-11ed-80dc-9bc06b749725.html | 2023-05-06T12:41:56 | 1 | https://bismarcktribune.com/news/local/burleigh-county-applies-for-snow-relief-aid-works-out-deal-with-townships/article_4957dd8a-e865-11ed-80dc-9bc06b749725.html |
HAMMOND — The city is moving forward with a plan that would create 36 single-family homes at Memorial Park.
The plan for the development at Ray Avenue and Highland Street includes two or three larger lots that could be used for duplexes or senior housing. About a month ago, the Hammond Redevelopment Commission put out a Request for Proposals for planning and designing the project's infrastructure.
The RDC received a proposal from Indianapolis-based engineering consulting firm American Structurepoint. The RDC unanimously approved the proposal Thursday.
American Structurepoint will conduct a topographical survey of the site to determine where the utilities are because, eventually, a road will be added to the property. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/hammond/hammond-hopes-to-develop-single-family-homes-at-memorial-park/article_f40c4c9c-eb8b-11ed-b09c-87d10db06f26.html | 2023-05-06T12:45:10 | 1 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/hammond/hammond-hopes-to-develop-single-family-homes-at-memorial-park/article_f40c4c9c-eb8b-11ed-b09c-87d10db06f26.html |
SAN ANTONIO — One person is dead and another was rushed to a hospital in critical condition after their vehicle slammed into a concrete pillar.
The crash happened around 2 a.m. on Saturday on the access road of North Loop 1604 and I-10 West on the city's northwest side.
The San Antonio Police Department said that the driver somehow lost control and crashed. When crews arrived, they found the driver had passed away. The passenger was taken to University Hospital in critical condition.
Authorities are now investigating the incident. No other injuries were reported.
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Want to get in touch with someone at KENS 5? You can send a message using our Contacts page or email one of our team members. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/car-crashes-into-concrete-pillar/273-410267ff-e3f0-4418-be76-8ad44599c701 | 2023-05-06T12:46:18 | 0 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/car-crashes-into-concrete-pillar/273-410267ff-e3f0-4418-be76-8ad44599c701 |
OCEAN CITY — Putters will replace hoagies at 34th Street and Asbury Avenue, where the city Planning Board has approved a proposal for a miniature golf course at 3360 Asbury Ave.
For more than a decade, that was Blitz’s Market, a deli and sandwich shop that once had several locations, including three in Ocean City. There is still a Blitz’s in Sea Isle City. A message on the store’s answering machine states it will open for the season in May.
But the 34th Street location has chains around the parking lot and little sign of life, aside from bright purple flowers on the corner of the lot.
Patrick O’Hara applied for site plan approval to create a new mini golf facility at the location, which will make that the southernmost existing miniature golf business in Ocean City. Planning Board Chairman John Loper said the vote was unanimous, and that several neighbors spoke in support of the project at a recent board meeting.
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Loper said there is also a proposal for another miniature golf location for a different now-vacant commercial building on 34th Street.
Police officer named Cape May’s first employee of the month
CAPE MAY — Patrolman William Comly III came late and didn’t stay long when he was honored at a recent City Council meeting as Cape May’s first employee of the month.
Comly was on duty as the meeting took place and did not interrupt his workday long to accept the honor as the April recipient from city elected officials.
City Manager Mike Voll recently began the program, which is similar to efforts in other communities.
“These individuals consistently exhibit a positive and supportive attitude and make contributions beyond the usual expectations of their employment,” reads a statement from the city explaining the program.
Comly was nominated for his dedication as a field trainer and the guidance he provides to new officers.
“He always has a positive attitude, friendly demeanor, and energizes the room. He is a proactive employee and thoughtful planner, always leading the pack one step ahead,” reads the city statement.
Peers can nominate each other for the recognition. Management, department heads and supervisors are ineligible.
In his second term in office, state Sen. Mike Testa, R-Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic, has b…
Community day planned in Sea Isle
SEA ISLE CITY — Saturday, May 6, is Community Day in Sea Isle City, Mayor Leonard Desiderio told residents and visitors in a recent email announcement.
“I hope as many people as possible can participate in one or more of the activities we have planned for you,” he said.
Events include a City Council meeting at 9 a.m. at the municipal building on John F. Kennedy Boulevard; a free document shredding event from 9 a.m. to noon at the Welcome Center parking lot across JFK; a municipal bicycle auction at 10:15 a.m. in the same lot; a “meet and greet” with city officials and representatives from local civic organizations from 10 a.m. to noon and an awards ceremony at 11:30 a.m., both in the Community Lodge at 300 JFK Blvd.
“Attending our annual Community Day celebration is the perfect way to learn more about Sea Isle City, meet your neighbors, discover new ways to become involved in your community, and possibly ride home on a slightly used bicycle,” Desiderio said.
City Hall offices will be open for business from 8:30 a.m. to noon Saturday as part of the city’s efforts to expand available hours of operation to the public.
Crest, Little League to honor veterans May 16
WILDWOOD CREST — The borough and the Greater Wildwood Little League are set to join forces to honor military veterans ahead of a baseball game scheduled for May 16 at Higbee Field.
Residents and military veterans Michael Marino and Samuel Wilson will take part in a ceremonial first pitch at the event as part of Wildwood Crest’s participation in the statewide “We Value Our Veterans” campaign.
All military veterans from Wildwood Crest and military veterans who are the parents or grandparents of current Greater Wildwood Little League baseball, softball or tee ball players are welcome to attend the event, according to borough officials.
The pre-game ceremony to honor veterans is set to begin at 6:30 p.m., followed by a majors division baseball game between the Greater Wildwood Lions and Greater Wildwood Raging Waters at 7 p.m.
Higbee Field is located at 6000 Atlantic Ave.
Crest celebrates Arbor Day
WILDWOOD CREST — The borough, in conjunction with Crest Memorial Elementary School, celebrated Arbor Day on April 28 by highlighting the importance of trees, especially to barrier island communities.
Employees from the borough’s Department of Public Works planted two magnolia trees at its headquarters in honor of Arbor Day, while Deputy Mayor Joseph Franco and members of the borough’s Green Team met with second and third grade students at Crest Memorial to discuss how trees provide value to the community and wildlife.
The Green Team provided bookmarks to the students and explained that the entire community has a responsibility to care for trees through sustainable practices. Many of the students participated in a question-and-answer session and demonstrated their knowledge of Arbor Day and its 19th-century beginnings as part of a community action to plant trees.
The borough is engaged in its own tree stewardship action, along with tree experts at the Lomax Consulting Group, to conduct a street tree inventory of the community forestry resources. The inventory includes the mapping of all trees within the streetscape and collection of size, health and condition data for each specimen. Once the inventory exercise is completed, the borough will be able to commence tree-planting projects with the benefit of selecting proper planting locations, species composition and planting conditions information that will foster urban tree growth.
MIDDLE TOWNSHIP — There seems to be little disagreement that the Rio Grande section of the t…
Drum fish tourney planned
MIDDLE TOWNSHIP — Fishermen are preparing their tackle boxes for Middle Township’s 19th annual Drum Fish Tournament from May 19-21 in the Delaware Bay.
“Everyone fishes around here, so it’s a good time for all the locals,” said Chris Denham, who has been participating in the event for eight years. “There’s a lot of good drum fishermen, so it’s competitive, but it’s also fun and friendly.”
Last year, Denham was a member of the four-person team on Captain Craig Stocker’s boat, “Little Yipps.” The longtime friends caught two drum fish that had a total weight of 88.5 pounds, earning the team second place for the heaviest combined weight.
Roy Trainor, captain of “Determined,” won first place for the heaviest combined weight (99 pounds) and for the single heaviest fish (54.3 pounds). Weigh-ins can be close, as the prize for the second heaviest fish went to Bruce Schumann, captain of “Southern Star,” who caught a drum fish weighing 54.1 pounds.
Third place for the heaviest total combined weight went to Captain Donald Douglass and his boat “Pour Again” for catching two drums weighing a total of 69.5 pounds.
The drum fish event has become a popular tradition in the community, said Suzanne Schumann, Middle’s deputy business administrator and a member of the tournament committee.
“This tournament draws a great crowd of people, many who are repeat competitors. Some have even been a part of the tournament since its initial year,” she said. “It is great to see all the families come together at the Captain’s Meeting and during weigh-ins, and it’s impressive to see all the boats lined up through the Delaware Bay every year.”
Fishermen can put their lines in the water beginning at noon May 19 and can remain fishing until noon May 21, when weigh-ins close. Boats are allowed six anglers plus one captain.
Participants can sign up at the Captain’s Meeting, held 6 p.m. May 18 at Menz Restaurant, 985 Route 47, Rio Grande, or in advance by filling out the application. The registration is $225 and includes two tickets to the Captain’s Meeting dinner. Additional tickets to the dinner can be purchased for $25 each.
Drum fish are common in the Delaware Bay. The bottom-feeding fish gets its name from the drumming, croaking or throbbing sound it makes as its muscles vibrate against its swim bladder, according to the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife.
The state record for a single drum fish catch belongs to a fisherman who pulled up a 109-pounder in Delaware Bay in 2008.
For more information, call Anne Becica at 609-465-8732. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/mini-golf-approved-for-34th-street-in-ocean-city-cape-may-county-briefs/article_42dc2c78-eb84-11ed-bdea-bfaae37cf4c0.html | 2023-05-06T12:47:50 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/mini-golf-approved-for-34th-street-in-ocean-city-cape-may-county-briefs/article_42dc2c78-eb84-11ed-bdea-bfaae37cf4c0.html |
Canton Hall of Fame Marathon changes gears. Are fewer people running marathons?
- The director of Run To You Racing, which organizes races throughout Northeast Ohio, said fewer runners have signed up for long-distance races.
- Races in the United States saw a 2.7% decrease in registration between 2018 and 2019.
- Half marathons have generally grown in popularity more than marathons.
CANTON − One reason the 10th year of the Canton Hall of Fame Marathon will be its last is a "downward trend" in participation, according to race director Jim Chaney.
The director of Run To You Racing, which organizes races throughout Northeast Ohio, said fewer runners have signed up for long-distance races in recent years. Chaney attributes it to more home-based living prompted by the pandemic and half marathons becoming more popular as "bucket list items" than marathons.
"I chalked it up to habits," he said. "Habits changed fairly radically."
Marathon 'plateau' pre-COVID-19 pandemic
Road racing was on the rise globally for years and peaked with 9.1 million race results in 2016, according to "The State of Running 2019" by RunRepeat.com. Participation then declined by 13% to 7.9 million in 2018.
Races in the United States saw a 2.7% decrease in registration between 2018 and 2019, according to a report from the nonprofit Running USA, which used data from online registration providers. The 26.2-mile marathon and 13.1-mile half marathon distances had the greatest decline ― 19% and 17% respectively. The 5K had a 1% increase.
Darris Blackford, race director of the Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus Marathon, said the capital city's annual marathon was formed in 1980 as a way to attract tourists ― a common reason larger races began around that time.
More recently, he saw road racing peak between 2013 and 2015.
"Everything was going really strong but, unfortunately, a lot of races were added during that time," he said. "So, the pie got kind of split up a little bit more, a little bit more."
One last marathon:Black Girls RUN! participating in final Canton Hall of Fame Marathon
Blackford said participation in marathons also started to "plateau" while half marathons grew in popularity between about 2010 to 2019. The Columbus half marathon has an all-time record of 12,000 participants while the marathon's record is 7,000 runners.
As for the why, Blackford said, the logical conclusion would be a less-strenuous training schedule of 12-to-14 weeks versus 18-to-20 weeks.
Chaney said he noticed a shift in runner preference for half marathons before the pandemic but overall, race participation was steady.
"From our vantage point, pre-COVID, things were strong," he said.
Then COVID-19 hit. In-person races, including the Canton Hall of Fame Marathon, were canceled in 2020.
"COVID obviously put a halt to everything," Chaney said.
Post-pandemic recovery for running industry
Anne Bitong, president and CEO of the Akron Marathon, said their races have had fewer runners since the pandemic. She estimated that the running industry overall has seen a participation decrease of about 20%.
"Really 2021 and 2022 were our rebirth years, and it's looking like 2023, this year, is a rebuild year," she said.
The Akron Marathon race series involves an 8K and one-mile run in June, a 10K and half marathon in August, and a marathon, half marathon and team relay in September. Bitong said registration, which is open until the week before each race, is up 20% across all events than at this time last year. She expects to end the year 16% above 2022 numbers.
"In terms of getting back to our 2019 numbers, we think that we won't necessarily get there in one year but by 2024, we envision that we'll be back to our 2019 numbers," Bitong said.
Making history:Noah Johnson breaks Hoover 3,200 meters record at Eagle Elite meet
The Columbus Marathon also has been on the "upswing" since the October race weekend returned, Blackford said. There were half as many runners as normal in 2021, about two-thirds as many in 2022, and this year should be even larger.
"We're bouncing back pretty well," Blackford said. "And I think you'd find it's really not a one-size-fits-all situation."
The Columbus event has the advantage of being centrally located and charity-driven with a Nationwide Children's Hospital partnership that raises about $1 million a year for the hospital. Blackford noted some other marathons that are doing well, such as the Flying Pig Marathon ― which is predicting "near record crowds" for its 25th anniversary in Cincinnati this weekend ― or Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, Minn. ― which reported one of its fastest sellouts this year.
The Canton Hall of Fame Marathon reported 3,183 participants for its 2019 race weekend with 292 runners in the marathon (9.17% of the total) and 1,241 in the half marathon (38.9%). It increased to 3,266 total participants and 517 marathon runners (15.8%) in 2021 but marathon runners decreased despite an overall increase in participation the following years.
There were 470 marathon (12.8%) and 3,670 total participants in 2022 and 425 marathon (10.9%) and 3,870 total participants this year. Half marathon participation was on an upward trend until this year, when a 10K and kids race were added.
Running's new normal
Brent Bruckner is one of the participants in Sunday's Canton marathon. He's also the director of public relations and development at Second Sole, where the sales of running shoes have "never been better."
"We attribute that to a lot of demographic indicators like people being more accountable for their own health, from the standpoint of making active changes in their lifestyle as a result of a higher and more complicated healthcare system, potentially," Bruckner said.
He said the rise of remote work, more relaxed workplace dress codes and the desire to walk dogs adopted during the pandemic also seem to be contributing factors. Although COVID-19 upended routines, Bruckner said, he doesn't see race participation staying down.
"I would consider the racing community pretty strong, and in my opinion, only growing over time," he said.
Bitong said the Akron Marathon conducted surveys to gauge the post-pandemic running landscape and found that the greatest change is how people socialize.
"Maybe they fell off of their fitness journey or that so many of the folks that run in our events are corporate participants and with the kind of change in how people work, people working remotely or hybrid working, that they're just not gathering or maybe running before work or after work with their coworkers," she said.
However, more companies also are starting to prioritize employees' physical and mental wellness. The Akron Marathon already promoted community health and wellness, Bitong said. It expanded from a single-day event to a three-part race series in 2015 to provide experiences for people on an 18-week marathon training schedule.
This year, race organizers partnered with Summit County to introduce a Corporate Challenge that invites local companies to compete against one another in the race series. They're also tailoring shorter-distance events to younger runners as race demographics get older.
"It's really all about the experience and kind of promoting that health and wellness and giving individuals a platform and a reason to run and the experience to enjoy themselves while they're doing that," she said.
That's similar to the stated goal of a new race series announced Friday by Run to You Racing and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Starting next year, there will be four "run/walk races that aim to improve the health, wellness and fitness around the area," according to a joint news release.
“The Hall of Fame is truly excited to bring this type of event to Canton,” said Jim Porter, president of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. “For those making the trip to Canton, I have no doubt that during the Race Series each participant will experience what makes Canton so great.”
The series will start April 21 with the Training Camp 10K in downtown Canton. That will be followed by a Father's Day 5K on June 16 at the Pro Football Hall of Fame campus, a Kickoff 6K on Aug. 24 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame Half Marathon ― both downtown.
The combined distance of the races equals a marathon or 26.2 miles. Runners also can choose whether they want to participate in-person, virtually or a combination of the two.
“We are excited to produce a truly unique race series that blends the best of in-person and virtual events, offering options for participants of all ages and abilities here in Canton and around the country,” Chaney said.
Reach Kelly at 330-580-8323 or kelly.byer@cantonrep.comOn Twitter: @kbyerREP | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/canton/2023/05/06/canton-hall-of-fame-marathon-how-sign-up-run-running-news-northeast-ohio/70163476007/ | 2023-05-06T12:50:02 | 1 | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/canton/2023/05/06/canton-hall-of-fame-marathon-how-sign-up-run-running-news-northeast-ohio/70163476007/ |
Louisville City Council rezones 26 acres for proposed retail development
- On April 17, Louisville City Council approved a request to rezone 26 acres of property on Peach Street from residential to business.
- A developer has preliminary plans to turn the empty field into three retail plazas and a free-standing building, across from a new subdivision.
- A vote on the request was delayed after neighboring residents in Nimishillen Township voiced concerns over the proposal.
LOUISVILLE − A developer's plan to turn an empty field into stores and jobs got a boost last month.
In a 3-2 vote, City Council on April 17 approved a request from Chris Kerzan to rezone 26 acres of property on Peach Street from residential to business.
Kerzan, owner of K&K 230 Enterprises, could not be reached for comment. He also co-owns N.L. Construction Corp. in Canton.
In March, Kerzan showed preliminary plans for three retail plazas and a free-standing 7,200-square-foot building on the site. At that time, he stressed the plans were tentative. The commercial development would be across from the new Orchard Park subdivision, in the 6000 block of Peach Street, on the south side.
"Having more choices of shops and restaurants in our own community will benefit our citizens," said city manager Thomas Pukys. "This will bring more jobs in our community."
Councilmen Corey Street, Dick Slackford and Jim Taylor voted for the request. Against it were Councilwoman Joanie Aljancic and Mayor-Councilwoman Pat Fallot.
The vote was delayed in March
Council postponed the vote in March after residents in neighboring Nimishillen Township raised concerns.
The property borders the township on three sides.
Among the issues, residents said the development could increase flooding risks and traffic congestion in the area. They also said they do not want a gas station on the site, Pukys said in an email. He said there are no plans for one.
Pukys also said the developer, "would have" to install retention ponds to minimize the risk of flooding in the area. He said the street would experience an increase in cars and trucks but traffic studies are expected. The results could help alleviate travel concerns, he said.
Pukys said there are several more steps in the process before any construction could take place on the property.
"I appreciate and respect the process that council went through to produce this decision," he said. "They took their time, researched the project, listened to the concerns of the citizens, and made a decision that they felt would benefit our growing community."
Reach Benjamin Duer at 330-580-8567 or ben.duer@cantonrep.com. On Twitter: @bduerREP | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/louisville/2023/05/06/louisville-council-oks-rezoning-for-peach-street-retail-plazas/70147881007/ | 2023-05-06T12:50:08 | 1 | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/louisville/2023/05/06/louisville-council-oks-rezoning-for-peach-street-retail-plazas/70147881007/ |
I’m a mom of three children, now young adults, so Mother’s Day has real meaning to me, as it does to the millions of moms who will celebrate Mother’s Day this weekend.
The workplace has historically not been kind, or equitable, to working moms. Recent laws, such as the PUMP Act and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, provide some support to pregnant women and new mothers, but overall, many moms suffer a significant workplace penalty in their efforts to be a “working mom.”
For the past six years, Motherly, a parenting platform with a stated mission to create a “world in which all mothers are thriving,” has conducted a “State of Motherhood” survey.
In its 2023 survey completed earlier this year, Motherly heard from approximately 10,000 mothers. The results are mixed – some positive and some concerning – but a glaring discovery is that workplaces need to shift if they want to hire and retain mothers.
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The survey showed that moms are worried – mostly about the economy and mental health.
Motherly said of its survey, “This year finds mothers increasingly stressed about finances, yet a lack of access to child care keeps many mothers out of the workforce. The key to getting mothers, who also do the majority of child care and household management, back into the workforce? Flexibility.”
The survey found that there were more mothers staying home this year than in the past one, with 25% responding they are a stay-at-home parent compared with 15% in 2022. In addition, 18% of the mothers reported changing jobs or leaving the workforce, with the top reasons being to stay at home with children (28%) and the lack of child care (15%).
To get moms back in the workforce, 64% of the respondents said they needed flexibility and 52% said they needed affordable child care. In fact, 67% of moms said they spend at least $1,000 a month on child care alone. Mothers just can’t justify paying such a high cost for child care and earning barely enough to pay for it.
Mental health concerns climbed in this year’s survey and were the top worry of mothers. More moms (about 46%) are seeking mental health services. Moms are reportedly experiencing serious mental health challenges, including anxiety, depression and postpartum depression. By way of another stressor, 1 in 10 of their children is also receiving mental health support.
Moms are also extremely worried about finances, with 72% reporting stress over finances and 71% reportedly cutting back on spending.
Moms who work also do the majority of the household and family tasks, with 58% of them reporting that they are primarily responsible for the duties of running a household and caring for children, up slightly from 2022.
Moms are also exhausted. In fact, 62% reported they get less than an hour to themselves each day.
A recent study by Lean In and McKinsey & Co. reported that female leaders are leaving the workplace at alarming rates in what’s being called “The Great Breakup.”
Employers can’t ignore this important demographic in their workforce. Women consistently experience a penalty for pregnancy, childbirth and being a working mom, and this isn’t good for employers or mothers.
Too often working moms are viewed negatively by employers, as if they aren’t committed to the job. Men who are dads rarely experience this same bias.
As employers readjust and reset after the pandemic, they can also refocus the needs of working parents overall (not just moms) and consider whether work can still get done while offering flexibility and child care benefits. Although child care costs are universal to both moms and dads, women’s careers are the ones most impacted because historically they are the lower-wage earners, and the ones to leave the workforce to attend to child care responsibilities.
Basic structural focus such as equal and fair pay, flexibility and an intentional emphasis on support for mental health and well-being of all employees could alleviate some of the issues women are experiencing in the workplace. The best way to determine how to make sure that it’s working for your working parents? Ask them. Find out what you — the employer — can do to support them.
While in many cases employers cannot support having a parent work from home while simultaneously caring for a 3-year-old, employers can consider flexible work schedules so parents can tag-team child care. The most important thing is to start the conversation with a goal toward effective changes that provide better opportunities for working moms – and all parents and caregivers.
3 TikTok brunch recipes you should make this Mother’s Day
1. Classic Shakshuka
Shakshuka is a delicious savory brunch dish that’s easier to make than you might think. Serve this recipe from @shanilcooks with some crispy bread.
@shanilcooks If you’re craving brunch but not the crowds this weekend, here’s a simple shakshuka dish to enjoy ! #brunchrecipe #foodontiktok #healthyrecipes ♬ Cooking - Oleg Kirilkov
2. Lemon Strawberry Ricotta Dutch Baby
Want something sweet to go with your savory Mother’s Day brunch dishes? Try this absolutely decadent Dutch baby recipe from @halfbakedharvest.
@halfbakedharvest strawberry Dutch baby 🍓 so easy. So good #dutchbaby #foodontiktok #brunchrecipe ♬ original sound - halfbakedharvest
3. Vegan Lemon-Berry Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast
Want a plant-based recipe at the table? This French toast recipe from @eat_figs_not_pigs is a little bit fancy but super easy to make.
Karen Michael is an attorney and the president of Richmond-based Karen Michael PLC and author of “Stay Hired.” She can be reached at stayhired@stayhired.net. | https://richmond.com/business/local/labor-law-mothers-are-amazing-and-need-more-from-their-workplace/article_d6c476b4-ea8c-11ed-9c89-e7d05ad83ae1.html | 2023-05-06T12:50:33 | 0 | https://richmond.com/business/local/labor-law-mothers-are-amazing-and-need-more-from-their-workplace/article_d6c476b4-ea8c-11ed-9c89-e7d05ad83ae1.html |
CEDAR FALLS — A 2024 U.S. presidential candidate will be passing through Cedar Falls later this month.
Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley will host an event in the city on May 18, a campaign spokesperson confirmed over email Friday, after The Des Moines Register was the first to report the stops on her latest swing through Iowa.
No other details were immediately available.
WATCH NOW: Pence visits Waverly, backs top Republicans, expresses optimism that 'help is on the way'
The former South Carolina governor is among a group of Republicans who have either announced or are likely to run for president: Former President Donald Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, South Carolina U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, and former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson.
Democratic President Joe Biden announced his 2024 campaign last week, virtually securing his nomination as the party’s candidate.
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The Courier Des Moines Bureau contributed to this story. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/u-s-presidential-candidate-to-host-event-in-cedar-falls/article_f5c56039-548c-51b7-a581-09067c0bf415.html | 2023-05-06T13:17:55 | 0 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/u-s-presidential-candidate-to-host-event-in-cedar-falls/article_f5c56039-548c-51b7-a581-09067c0bf415.html |
WATERLOO — The following upcoming events are planned at the Waterloo Public Library:
Monday 6 to 7 p.m. – The Well Read Club will meet to discuss “Maybe You Should Talk to Someone” by Lori Gottlieb. To participate email landerson@waterloopubliclibrary.org at least one day before the event. The event is virtual. Tuesday 10-11 a.m. – Design Your Life: A Program for Seniors, presented by Fortified Life and the library. This free six-part series will be held in Meeting Room AB and feature experts in their fields discussing new and innovative ways to help seniors age at home. This month's topic is Technology for Success.
Photos: A look back at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II ... 70 years ago
This image in Trafalgar Square, London, June 2, 1953, shows crowds of people gathering in the hope of seeing the coronation procession of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II later that day.
AP file
The Very Reverend Alan Campbell Don KCVO, Dean of Westminster, bears St. Edward's Crown during the Procession of Regalia, prior to the coronation of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey, London, June 2, 1953.
AP file
Surrounded by his clerics and ladies-in-waiting, Queen Elizabeth II sits in the Chair of Estate in Westminster Abbey, London on June 2, 1953, before being crowned. In royal gallery in background, Queen mother Elizabeth is leaning over to attend to the unseen little Prince Charles. Princess Margaret also lends a hand. Duchess of Gloucester may be seen at right in royal gallery.
AP file
The Archbishop of Canterbury, foreground, reads the Benediction to Britain's Queen Elizabeth during the coronation ceremony in this June 2, 1953 photo.
AP file
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II is crowned the Monarch of Britain holding the Royal Scepter, sat on throne, wearing St. Edward's crown, at Westminster Abbey, in London, June 2, 1953.
AP file
Queen Elizabeth II passing through Westminster Abbey, London wearing her crown on June 2, 1953.
AP file
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing her crown, center foreground, leads the procession through Westminster Abbey's nave after her coronation in London, England, June 2, 1953. The Queen of England is flanked by the Bishop of Durham Rev. Arthur Michael Ramsay, left, and the Bishop of Bath and Wells High Rev. Harold William Bradfield. Maids of honor follow behind, carrying the cape.
AP file
In this June 2, 1953 file photo, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II wearing the bejeweled Imperial Crown and carrying the Orb and Scepter with Cross, leaves Westminster Abbey, London, at the end of her coronation ceremony.
AP file
The Queen's train is lifted by footman as she leaves Buckingham Palace, to enter the state coach to drive to Westminster Abbey, London, for the coronation this morning June 2, 1953, for Elizabeth to become Queen Elizabeth II.
AP file
The smiling Queen Elizabeth framed in the window of the State coach as she left Buckingham Palace quadrangle for Westminster Abbey for the Coronation ceremony on June 2, 1953 in London.
AP file
Part of the parade of Commonwealth troops pass under Marble Arch, London, June 2, 1953, on the processional drive from Westminster Abbey, following the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
AP file
The Gold State Coach, carrying Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, leaves Hyde Park en route to Buckingham Palace following the Queen's coronation at Westminster Abbey. London, June. 2, 1953.
AP file
Members of the Ceylon contingent march through Picadilly Circus, London, during the processions following the coronation of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, June. 2, 1953.
AP file
A carriage carrying Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, Prime Minister of Australia, passes through Picadilly Circus, London, following the coronation of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, June. 2, 1953.
AP file
In this June. 2, 1953 file photo, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh wave to supporters from the balcony at Buckingham Palace, following her coronation at Westminster Abbey, London.
AP file
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, gather with other members of the British Royal Family to greet supporters from the balcony at Buckingham Palace following her coronation, which took place in Westminster Abbey, London, June 2, 1953.
AP file
With her majesty, Queen Elizabeth II are her family and other members of the Royal family. From left to right are front row: Prince Michael of Kent and his mother the Duchess of Kent (behind her is her elder son, the Duke of Kent; Princess Martha of Norway; Princess Margaret (sister of the Queen); Queen Elizabeth; the Duke of Edinburgh; Queen Elizabeth the Queen mother; the Princess Royal (Aunt of the Queen); the Duchess of Gloucester, and Princess Alice, countess of Athlone (great-aunt of the Queen). Between the Queen Mother and the Princess Royal can be seen the Duke of Gloucester. In front of the Duchess of Gloucester are her two sons, Prince Richard (left) and Prince William. In front of the Queen are her two children, Prince Charles and princess Anne. The Queen wears the imperial state crown and her coronation robes. The Queen and her family gathered at Buckingham Palace for this Coronation portrait on June 2, 1953.
AP Photo/London Times
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Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/waterloo-public-library-announces-upcoming-events/article_895cdba6-7169-5aed-a075-74125802b8dc.html | 2023-05-06T13:18:01 | 0 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/waterloo-public-library-announces-upcoming-events/article_895cdba6-7169-5aed-a075-74125802b8dc.html |
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Contact Us | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/the-iconic-tramcars-in-the-wildwoods-turn-75-and-price-to-ride-rises/3560933/ | 2023-05-06T13:19:40 | 1 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/the-iconic-tramcars-in-the-wildwoods-turn-75-and-price-to-ride-rises/3560933/ |
HENRICO, Va. — Artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT are having more of an influence over our lives from shopping and streaming services to education, health care and the way we get information about the world.
Married couple India and Eric Morgan opened a smart fitness studio in Henrico County in March, and appointments have been filling up. The Exercise Coach is part of an international franchise, and is touted as the first AI-enabled studio in the state.
The Exercise Coach uses bioadaptive robotic exercise equipment that’s calibrated specifically to someone’s fitness levels. The computerized machines modify their difficulty as the person progresses in strength and stamina.
“We are the right intensity for you because the machines are adapting to your strength level and physical abilities,” India Morgan said. “Even though, yes, it’s going to be a challenging workout, the goal is to progressively overload your muscles so you’re constantly building strength. It’s going to be something that you’re capable of doing because it’s curated to you.”
The franchise’s smart equipment comes from Illinois-based manufacturer Exerbotics. Its fitness instructors conduct one-on-one sessions or small group exercises with a maximum of four participants. The biggest benefit the company markets is that it can give people the results they need in two 20-minute workouts per week. A 48-hour break is recommended to recover from sessions.
There are seven total exercises across the 20-minute workout, each designed so that you couldn’t possibly do one more repetition by the end. The bulk of the session is spent on strength training, but it finishes off on high-intensity cardio for one to three minutes.
The Morgans bring their backgrounds in finance and health care to The Exercise Coach. India Morgan was a registered nurse at VCU Health before opening the studio. She is currently pursuing a degree to become a nurse practitioner. She manages many of the day-to-day needs at the studio. Eric Morgan is a financial consultant in the health care field, working with several hospitals on their fixed assets. He works on the operational side of the franchise.
Having been involved in sports their entire lives and prioritizing their physical health, the Morgans came upon the studio idea while working with a franchise broker to open a new business. They tried out some of the workouts and liked the data they saw.
“The fact that (India) has a clinical background gave us an advantage because we agreed with the science and all of the metabolic pieces that were the actual foundation of this franchise,” Eric Morgan said.
With The Exercise Coach open for around seven weeks so far, the Morgans say they’re excited by seeing results start to solidify for some of the clients who have been there since the beginning.
“We can look back at their progress six, seven weeks and say, ‘OK, this is actually working for them,’” India Morgan said. “That is cool. We knew it worked for us; we’ve been doing it ourselves, but it’s cool to see it work for other people.”
A majority of the time slots have filled up with an average of around 50 sessions per day. The sessions themselves range in price from $25 to $50, depending on which package a person gets, though pricing is done monthly.
The goal isn’t to compare the studio with big-box gyms and bring in the highest number of users. The franchise generally targets people who are either too busy for full gyms, don’t have the time or need guidance. A majority of the marketing budget is spent on reaching clients who are ages 40 and older. The robotic equipment provides lower stress on joints and ligaments while still delivering an intense workout.
“(Forty-plus) is our clientele. Their focus is overall health,” Eric Morgan said. “They have generally failed at a lot of different exercises or have been discouraged by a bunch of different exercises. Plus, it’s just simple. It’s to their abilities and it’s private, so you don’t have to go to a gym setting with a bunch of people.”
Tamara Parker started working out at The Exercise Studio within the first few weeks after its opening. Although she’s always tried to be active throughout her adult life, she said she had trouble with other workout routines. She’s been to gyms and done at-home workouts streamed from the TV.
“I don’t like the act of going to a gym and looking for equipment; someone might be on my equipment,” Parker said. “And, I don’t want to be around a bunch of other people when I’m working out. It’s just not comfortable for me.”
Streaming at-home workouts posed other problems. Parker, 55, said it was lonely and she wasn’t always sure she was doing the exercises correctly. She stopped working out for a period about a year ago when her father died. The grief made it hard to have the energy to work out. At the same time, she developed unhealthful eating habits amid the stress.
“I just seemed to be really stuck in a rut. And I tried going back to the gym, but I just wouldn’t. I didn’t stick with it,” Parker said. “I even hired a trainer, and I did all the trainings I purchased in that package, but then I never went back.”
Working out has also been a tough time commitment for Parker. She home-schools her 13-year-old daughter, runs a business with her husband and cares for her 92-year-old father-in-law, who lives at the family home. She saw The Exercise Studio online and liked the idea that it offers shorter 20-minute workouts.
“In the beginning, I was like, ‘How does this work?’ It’s only 20 minutes; I don’t understand,” Parker said. “But after I got into it, I realized 20 minutes was no joke. And I feel with each individual exercise, right as I’m getting ready to die, it’s done.”
Her goal was to get back to the fitness levels she had before she stopped working out. To date, she’s lost nearly all of the excess weight she put on and says she’s also seen positive mental health benefits from working out again more regularly.
The Morgans said they were a little surprised by the amount of demand the studio experienced right after opening. They’re already working on opening two more studios in the Richmond area and have plans to expand with two to three more stores over the next three to four years. The next location is planned for near Richmond’s West End, and another will be in the city’s South Side.
“We really liked that the goal with this specific fitness franchise is not just like lose weight or gain muscle, even though those are things we can do,” India Morgan said. “It’s really like overall health. We want you to lower your blood sugar, increase your bone strength and decrease your issues with things like osteoporosis.” | https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/2023/05/06/exchange-artificial-intelligence-fitness-studio/2cc5e142-ec0e-11ed-869e-986dd5713bc8_story.html | 2023-05-06T13:24:23 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/2023/05/06/exchange-artificial-intelligence-fitness-studio/2cc5e142-ec0e-11ed-869e-986dd5713bc8_story.html |
BRUNSWICK, Md. — On the River’s Edge Trails in Brunswick, behind Brunswick Middle School, an invasive vine called kudzu blankets and drapes the trails and trees.
The kudzu is entwined with vegetation on the trails.
Brunswick has hired a cadre of roughly 20 goats and sheep to eat the kudzu from River’s Edge Trails, as well as other invasive species.
Sheep and goats work together to eat kudzu, poison ivy garlic mustard and more on an acre of land.
Goats are browsers and attack vegetation that’s higher up. Sheep are grazers and take care of vegetation on the ground.
They will be there for about two weeks, eating one patch at a time.
“It’s a unique way to take care of the problem,” Carlo Alfano, Brunswick’s trail liaison with Mid Atlantic Off-Road Enthusiasts, said.
Kudzu creates a multitude of problems for native flora as an invasive species. Their broad leaves hog sunlight from other plants, allowing the kudzu to thrive while native plants to die off.
Also, kudzu causes safety hazards by destroying the tree canopy. The kudzu wraps itself around trees, taking their sunlight and weighing the trees down.
Sometimes limbs fall off. Other times, it can be the whole tree.
“The fact that we have a city asset there, being the trails, which are very popular, they’re purpose-built mountain bike trails, it becomes a hazard if trees are falling directly on someone,” Ingram said.
Alfano was the one who noticed the problem of kudzu first, Ingram said. Alfano, Ingram and others discussed how they could get rid of the kudzu through methods like herbicide or physically removing it.
However, herbicide could kill other plants and pulling out kudzu would have required the city’s Public Works Department to do it, costing time and money.
Instead, the town looked into goats and sheep to eat the kudzu, already a popular method of land management. They feed on the plants, and fertilize as they go.
Military bases use the animals for landscaping. They’re also used on solar fields to keep weeds down.
“This approach is one way we are integrating sustainability into the overall plan,” Jeremy Mose, Brunswick’s assistant city administrator, said in a statement.
Additionally, the goats and sheep, from Browsing Green Goats in Calvert County, were affordable. For the two weeks and 24/7 treatment, it cost the city $5,500, or $1 per animal per hour, Ingram said.
This isn’t a permanent solution to the invasive vine, Ingram said. It’s likely the city will do the same treatment annually.
After the goats and sheep are done chowing on kudzu, there will be a second phase to the vine removal, Ingram said. That’s still being figured out.
Goats and sheep clear the way. Afterward, a team of people will look for kudzu “crowns,” where a node touches the ground, propagates and creates roots for the vines.
Volunteers or city employees will either spray the crowns with herbicide or dig them out, she said.
“It does sound like we are going to have them out there every year, so we’re gonna keep it at bay,” Ingram said. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/2023/05/06/exchange-goats-clearing-kudzu/2be6dcd6-ec0e-11ed-869e-986dd5713bc8_story.html | 2023-05-06T13:24:29 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/2023/05/06/exchange-goats-clearing-kudzu/2be6dcd6-ec0e-11ed-869e-986dd5713bc8_story.html |
After a last-minute qualification, the CocoNuts took home the Engineering Inspiration Award at the FIRST Robotics world competition in April.
The CocoNuts, Coconino High School’s robotics team, qualified for regionals with the last announced award at their final regional competition of the season, only two weeks before the world championships.
They won the Impact Award at the Monterey Bay regionals in California, and advanced to the world championships and as one of 85 spots (out of 620 total teams at worlds) to compete for FIRST’s highest award: the worldwide Impact Award.
The Impact Award, previously called the Chairman’s Award, recognizes the teams that have most impacted their school and community. Three CocoNuts members developed a seven-minute presentation — which they brought to last week’s Flagstaff Unified School District’s board meeting — for this part of the competition.
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They then had to register for worlds, arrange travel plans and tune up their robot before driving 18 hours to Houston for the competition. The impact team was practicing their presentation and interview skills on the bus ride , said coach Christine Sapio.
In addition to the robot competition, students on the team had two interviews about their robot and their team.
“It’s an incredibly life-changing experience for those kids,” Sapio said of the championships. “About half of them have never been to worlds, and you can just tell they were incredibly blown away and energized. They came back with new ideas, because they get to meet those amazing teams and everything. They’re coming back with amazing ideas and new goals and new things they really want to do.”
The team won the Engineering Inspiration Award at worlds this year — an award that recognizes teams for advancing respect for engineering and STEM in their respective community. The team leads STEM fairs at Leupp and Killip elementary schools, and have traveled to Monument Valley High School in Kayenta to participate in another STEM fair.
They also mentor local teams and put on the Arizona FIRST Tech Challenge.
These efforts continue all year.
The week after winning the competition, the team had a booth at the Flagstaff STEM Celebration and traveled to the Arizona State Capitol to raise awareness for robotics programs.
“Their enthusiasm for what they do its infectious,” Sapio said.
Winning the Engineering Inspiration Award means that, for the first time, the CocoNuts are one of 18 teams that automatically qualified for next year’s world competition.
That doesn’t mean the team will be slowing down, Sapio said.
They are already making plans to attend a national advocacy conference in June, and the team’s builders and drivers are testing ideas for next year’s robot.
Their goal for next year, she said, is to make as many wildcards as possible.
In robotics competitions, a wildcard happens when a team that has already qualified for worlds wins a qualifying competition or an award. This then allows a different team to qualify in their place. For example, if the CocoNuts were to win an Impact Award at next year’s regionals, the team would then create a wildcard team rather than qualifying twice.
“Their new goal is to not stop, not rest on that accomplishment or anything,” she said. “ ... To still keep that drive and that passion and continue to grow and continue to become a better team and to really continue building that passion and building that impact so that even though we’re already qualified that we would still work towards being one of those teams that’s worthy of recognition again.”
The CocoNuts have so far qualified for worlds every year that they’ve competed. This is the first year, however, the team has earned an automatic qualification.
That means more pressure in some ways.
“There are a lot of really competitive and excellent teams that don’t make it in every year, and so to be able to say we made it every year, it’s a really rare thing,” Sapio said, adding that she was thankful for the community support in Flagstaff. “It’s a lot of hard work, and it’s a real testament to the passion and the dedication of these kids, because as we’ve gone further and further in this program there are more and more teams that are just doing incredible things that deserve recognition.”
A recording of the CocoNuts’ presentation to FUSD’s board is available online beginning at about one hour and 45 minutes. More about the CocoNuts, including ways to make a tax credit donation to the team, can be found at fusd1.org. | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/education/coconuts-win-engineering-inspiration-award-at-robotics-world-championships/article_7b8ad6b0-eaa7-11ed-b5fe-979e85e44484.html | 2023-05-06T13:38:10 | 1 | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/education/coconuts-win-engineering-inspiration-award-at-robotics-world-championships/article_7b8ad6b0-eaa7-11ed-b5fe-979e85e44484.html |
When I was but a toddler in Wisconsin, I had a collection of treasured children’s books.
The one illustrating a black-capped chickadee on the cover was my most prized, and I don’t even remember what the book was about.
What I do remember is how enthralled I was with that chickadee — the artist did a fabulous job portraying an endearing black and white, tiny bird with puffy cheeks and fluffy feathers. Its black “cap” was especially charming. But it wasn’t until years later while on vacation in the High Sierras that I first encountered a chickadee — or was it? I couldn’t decide, as it had extra markings: white eyebrows that gave the bird an appearance of being a “wise-guy.” I found this quite intriguing. I soon learned it was, indeed, a mountain chickadee.
Having lived in the high country for seventeen years now, I am acquainted with the mountain chickadee and continue to learn of its fascinating traits and behaviors.
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Like all chickadees, this mountain species is a captivating acrobat, winging from tree-to-tree foraging insects, seeds, and spiders. They’ll often go topsy-turvy in order to glean every tasty morsel. They also enjoy the ease of bird feeders.
Chickadees gather in flocks, attracting their own kind as well as other forest-dwelling birds — nuthatches, woodpeckers, kinglets, warblers, and titmice. The chickadee acts as the leader of the flock, or nucleus, because other species respond to their many calls, especially warning signals.
The mountain chickadee hides immense amounts of seeds and nuts in caches throughout our forests. It seems this is the number one survivability trait responsible for this bird’s ability to withstand our harsh, snowy winters. (Keeping even a tiny body warm requires much energy.) This holds true for mountain chickadees throughout high coniferous forests of the American West. However, it does not appear to be true with most black-capped chickadee populations, which typically inhabit warmer climates at lower elevations. Could it be that that, in this regard, the mountain chickadee’s genetic makeup differs slightly from the black-capped?
I recently read about several comparative studies of cognitive performance and brain morphology in chickadees. The first involved solely black-capped chickadees and took place in the wilds of both Colorado and Alaska—Alaska having the harsher winter. It found that birds from Alaska were more adept at caching food and finding it again. Additionally, they tested higher in cognition. Plus, the Alaskan black-capped chickadees had more neurons within larger hippocampi, the areas of their brains responsible for spatial memory!
A later study involved exclusively mountain chickadees brought into the lab from their home environments in the High Sierras. One group had been living at 7,800,’ the other group at 5,900’. Those that came from the higher, colder elevation performed better in spatial and cognitive tests than their counterparts living at the lower elevation. They too, had larger hippocampi than mountain chickadees living in the warmer climate.
Carrie Branch and Vladimir Pravosudov from the University of Nevada field-tested mountain chickadees in the wilds of the Sierra Nevada. Over a period of several years, at high elevations, birds were fitted with transmitters designed to keep track of each bird’s behaviors, including feeding at bird feeders. Ultimately, this study found that mountain chickadees displaying lower spatial memories were less able to survive harsh winters than those showing higher spatial memories.
A series of genetic tests prove that these traits have been built into mountain chickadees’ DNA.
These studies and others strongly suggest that, over many generations, the mountain chickadee’s genetic make-up has been transformed. Its larger hippocampus gives it superior spatial memory over the black-capped species. Accordingly, this genetic trait allows it to consume more food, giving the bird the added energy needed to survive cold winters. Thus, the mountain chickadee, through natural selection, has adapted to colder climates.
So yes, the mountain chickadee’s genetic makeup differs slightly from the vast majority of black-capped populations. But I am left pondering why two birds of the same genus evolved to appear nearly identical, with the single differentiating visual mark being white eyebrows. Is it so the two species are able to discern the wise guys from the not so wise? Nah, that couldn’t be, but then again…
Cindy Murray is a biologist, co-editor of Gardening Etcetera. and a Coconino Master Gardener with Arizona Cooperative Extension.
If you have a gardening question, send a message to CoconinoMasterGardener@gmail.com and a Coconino Master Gardener will answer your question. Or call the Coconino Master Gardener Hotline at 928-773-6112 and leave a message. A Master Gardener will return your call. | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/gardening-etcetera-the-mountain-chickadee----whats-its-secret/article_193a8d8a-eaf1-11ed-b506-f39451cdfb79.html | 2023-05-06T13:38:16 | 1 | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/gardening-etcetera-the-mountain-chickadee----whats-its-secret/article_193a8d8a-eaf1-11ed-b506-f39451cdfb79.html |
May 6 is No Diet Day, so bring on the pancakes ... with extra syrup, please! And that’s just for breakfast. We plan to continue with a few pizzas for lunch and a stack of Snicker candy bars for supper. Don’t judge us; we can always go back to sensible eating tomorrow ... or next week (we promise).
A free Arbor Day event is 9:30 to 10:30 this morning in Hansen Park, 19806 86th Place in Bristol. Participants will plant tree seeds in egg cartons, which they can take home and watch sprout. They can also make planters out of newspaper and receive free bulbs to take home and plant. The first 150 attendees will receive a goodie bag.
The Pollard Gallery, 518 56th St., is hosting an opening reception today for its new Artist Show. The free reception is 1 to 4 p.m. 6. Light refreshments will be served.
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The Kenosha Kingfish baseball team is hosting its inaugural Kingfish Kickoff event at Simmons Field, 7817 Sheridan Road. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. today, visitors can enjoy free ballpark food, take photos with team mascot King Elvis, shop the team’s “garage sale,” meet Team Manager J.T. Scara and pick up tickets for the 2023 season. For more information about the May 6 event, go to Kingfishbaseball.comd.
Today is your final chance to see Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” at the Rhode Center for the Arts, 514 56th St. The Lakeside Players production’s final performances are 2 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults and $13 for students and senior citizens. Advance ticket purchases are recommended. Go to rhodecenter.org or the Lakeside Players Facebook page to purchase advance tickets.
“Spring Awakening” — the winner of eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical — continues tonight in the Main Stage Theatre at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. Performances are 7 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for senior citizens (age 60 and older) and $10 for youths (age 17 and younger). Note: The show contains mature themes. For tickets, go to uwp.edu or call 262-595-2564.
“Legally Blonde: The Musical” wraps up its run tonight in the Wartburg Theater at Carthage College, 2001 Alford Park Drive. The final performance is 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $14 for adults, $10 for senior citizens (55 and older) and $8 for students. Go to carthage.edu/arts/box-office.
The Southport Light Station Museum, 5117 Fourth Ave., is now open for the season, offering tours and climbs through Oct. 29. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Visitors are welcome to climb the 1866 Southport Lighthouse: $10 for adults and $5 for ages 8-12. Children must be 8 or older to climb. All ages are welcome inside the free maritime museum. For more information, visit kenoshahistorycenter.org. | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/kenosha-area-events-for-saturday-may-6/article_b3b2f17a-eb52-11ed-9cba-afd70ec11492.html | 2023-05-06T13:46:15 | 0 | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/kenosha-area-events-for-saturday-may-6/article_b3b2f17a-eb52-11ed-9cba-afd70ec11492.html |
Average daily flows
Snake River at Palisades 4,511 cfs
Snake River at Heise 6,602 cfs
Snake River at Blackfoot 5,967 cfs
Snake River at American Falls 7,817 cfs
Snake River at Milner 0 cfs
Little Wood River near Carey 1,272 cfs
Jackson Lake is 28% full.
Palisades Reservoir is 47% full.
American Falls Reservoir is 82% full.
Upper Snake River system is at 60% of capacity.
As of May 5 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/average-daily-streamflows/article_d59ebab6-eb8f-11ed-8ea7-bb3d804daac0.html | 2023-05-06T13:47:17 | 1 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/average-daily-streamflows/article_d59ebab6-eb8f-11ed-8ea7-bb3d804daac0.html |
Over a thousand students participated in graduation ceremonies at the College of Southern Idaho on Friday. According to CSI's office of Marketing and Communications, the top five majors for graduates this year were Liberal Arts, Health Science, Nursing, Education, and Criminal Justice.
TWIN FALLS — On Friday, more than 1,000 students took part in graduation ceremonies at the College of Southern Idaho.
To allow seating for graduates and families in the Fine Arts Auditorium, the ceremonies were split into four different groups.
Matt Freeman, executive director for the Idaho State Board of Education, gave an address to the graduates at the 2 p.m. ceremony.
In his address, Freeman offered his congratulations to the class of 2023 and said that the state needed more graduates like them.
“This is a life-changing milestone you have achieved,” Freeman said. “And we desperately need more of you.”
Freeman told the audience that Idaho has seen a six-year decline in the number of high school graduates that went on to some kind of post-secondary education.
In 2017, 50% of high school graduates went on to college. By 2022, he said, that figure had plummeted to 37%.
“Just over one-third of high school graduates are choosing to take the time and effort to invest in education or training after high school,” Freeman said.
The drop in numbers of people pursuing secondary education or training, when combined with massive population growth in the state and a disappearance of workers, he said, posed an existential threat to Idaho’s economy and communities.
“Businesses right here in the Magic Valley and throughout our state are desperate for employees who have critical thinking skills, a strong work ethic, and other durable skills that you developed as a student right here at CSI.”
According to CSI’s office of Marketing and Communications, the top five majors for graduates this year were liberal arts, health science, nursing, education and criminal justice.
CSI grads hold on to their hats as they walk across the courtyard from Eagle Hall to the Fine Arts Auditorium for their commencement ceremony on Friday.
Graduation for CSI was split into four ceremonies so everyone could fit into the Fine Arts Auditorium on Friday. The ceremony featured over 25 majors, including American Sign Language, Education, Business Management, Theater and Visual and Performing Arts. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/we-desperately-need-more-of-you-1-083-graduate-at-csi/article_207fb25e-eb6f-11ed-a1a0-7f89f39f99f2.html | 2023-05-06T13:47:24 | 0 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/we-desperately-need-more-of-you-1-083-graduate-at-csi/article_207fb25e-eb6f-11ed-a1a0-7f89f39f99f2.html |
ST. PAUL — A Scanlon man who was found guilty of repeatedly raping a woman while holding her against her will at his home over the course of 36 hours will continue to serve a life sentence.
The Minnesota Court of Appeals this week rejected a bevy of challenges from Dennis Michael St. John Jr., who was found guilty by a Carlton County jury in January 2022 of three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, along with kidnapping and domestic assault.
St. John, 56, argued multiple judges made a series of legal errors, alleging constitutional violations involved in the collection of evidence and prejudicial introduction of testimony related to domestic and sexual violence at trial. But the three-judge panel on Monday denied all seven claims raised in his appeal.
The victim testified that she had an ongoing sexual relationship with St. John and met up with him at Black Bear Casino Resort on July 17, 2020. She agreed to go to his Scanlon home and they had consensual sex.
However, the woman testified that when she later tried to leave, St. John closed the door and began hitting her before dragging her into the living room and forcibly removing her clothes. She remained trapped in the house until the morning of July 19, reporting that St. John sexually assaulted her at least six times and never let her out of eyesight.
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During that time, she testified, St. John also beat her with his fists, elbows and knees and headbutted her. He threatened to kill the victim and her family and forced her to smoke methamphetamine to stay awake, court documents indicate.
The woman testified that she finally managed to escape when St. John left a side door slightly ajar while letting the dog out. She ran to her car and drove to Proctor to summon help before going to a hospital, where physical injuries were documented.
St. John testified in his own defense, claiming the woman had spent the weekend at his home engaging in consensual sex and doing drugs with him. He stated they had an argument over some jewelry on the morning of July 19 and "got into a domestic" that involved mutual hitting. He told the jury they then fell asleep and he later awoke to the victim leaving.
Among the issues on appeal, St. John challenged testimony from his former girlfriend, who said he had physically and sexually assaulted her, and a domestic violence expert who offered opinions on the nature of abusive, controlling relationships.
The judges said the other woman's account was "markedly similar" and served to dispel his argument that the victim in the charged case had fabricated the incident. The panel also said the expert, Scott Miller, provided relevant context on "battered woman syndrome" and why victims may return to abusive partners.
"Consistent with the reasons identified by the (Minnesota) Supreme Court, the expert testimony on the dynamics of domestic abuse could have been helpful to the jury to 'dispel the common misconception that a normal or reasonable person would not remain in such an abusive relationship' and 'to show the reasonableness of the defendant's fear that she was in imminent peril of death or serious bodily injury,'" Judge Tracy Smith wrote in the 22-page opinion.
The panel also rejected claims related to the admission of 911 calls and St. John's prior drug conviction, and an order excluding evidence of the victim's prior sexual conduct. Additionally, the judges said the district court acted within its discretion to allow for the collection of a saliva sample and deny St. John's bid to toss cellphone location data obtained through a search warrant.
The jury found that there were three "heinous elements" involved in the commission of the crime, which, under Minnesota law, results in automatic life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
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St. John, who could still petition the state Supreme Court for final review, is incarcerated at the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Rush City. | https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/scanlon-man-loses-bid-to-overturn-life-sentence-for-kidnapping-raping-woman | 2023-05-06T14:10:38 | 0 | https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/scanlon-man-loses-bid-to-overturn-life-sentence-for-kidnapping-raping-woman |
Born to run Boston: How finishing the marathon closed a circle 40 years in the making
The first question people ask about running is always why.
Are you running from something? Toward? Is a large, hairy beast with pointy teeth and sharp claws hunting you for its dinner? Are you being paid in gold? If not, why run?
Why lose toenails and risk knees and spend hours in sweaty, breathy discomfort only to end up back where you started, only grosser and tired and chafed?
Lately, because of running, I have been limping around Phoenix. In a normal year, that wouldn’t bother me much. Between running hurdles in college, racing mountain bikes in grad school and generally being a person who doesn’t perfectly know her limits, my body is no stranger to injury.
But this time the agony of injury increased as the date of my first Boston Marathon approached — 40 years after my dad ran it, before I was born.
That year, in 1983, the woman who won the Boston Marathon was named Joan Benoit, a legend of American distance running. Her time of 2 hours, 22 minutes and 43 seconds shattered the women’s world record by nearly three minutes.
Standing in the crowd after finishing the same race, my dad, John Meiners, snapped a picture of Benoit receiving her trophy. When she won the first women’s Olympic marathon in Los Angeles the following year, my mom and he decided they would name me after her.
I was meant to show up to my own Boston Marathon at my mental and physical peak, to run it in a way that honors both my first and my last name. I trained hard over the past year and a half, waking early for morning track sessions, pushing the pace on tempo workouts and slogging through long training runs no matter the weather. I qualified for Boston with a time of 3:31:23 at the 2022 Mesa Marathon, just as my dad ran his Boston qualifying time of 2:47:03 at the 1983 Phoenix Marathon.
This bucket-list goal is something I’ve been training for, in small ways, my entire life.
But lately, I have been hobbling around Phoenix.
The pain in my Achilles tendon began in late March in the exact middle of my longest training run, a 21-mile loop through McDowell Mountain Regional Park. I started in the afternoon, hoping to finish with a sunset view. But at 11 miles shooting pains started in my left heel and I slowed to a shuffle, hoping to minimize any damage, but seeing no option to quit as I was still 10 miles from my car.
Ignoring the increasing tension working its way up my left calf, I enjoyed the sunset as much as I could at mile 15. Ignoring the idea of mountain lions for the final 6 miles, I made it back to my car long after dark.
The pain that tricked me into becoming a marathoner began at some incalculable point in life. But the past year or so has been especially hard. The unexpected loss of a beloved canine companion; a job change; a cross-state move; the end of a once-promising relationship; the death of my last grandparent in the early hours of the day I flew in to visit her. These are things that motivate one to run.
In the two weeks leading up to the Boston Marathon, I didn’t run. I calculated that, despite how much my trained legs wanted to run wild on the wildflower trails, the best chance I could give my Achilles of finishing the Boston Marathon would come from resting it as much as possible in the time I had left. So I spent countless minutes at the gym missing the Super Bloom, watching cooking shows on the stationary bike or staring at my situation while aqua jogging the 25-yard pool. Time on my feet was limited to grabbing another ice pack from the freezer.
All of it made me nervous. But I boarded my flight to Boston.
The day before the race, I started at the end, taking a picture at the finish line like the one my dad took at the same spot on the day before his Boston Marathon 40 years prior. Then I ran two miles, slowly, just to make sure I could. It went ok. So I laid out my race-day clothes and mentally prepared to shuffle through 26.2.
The most important journeys are, of course, not about the finish line. The Boston Marathon is renowned for its spectator enthusiasm. Cold and rainy or sunny and scorching, the course is lined with locals cheering for the strangers who’ve descended on their city with a singular goal. Many hold witty signs that, as the fatigue sets in, can sometimes feel like messages from above.
My favorite signs I saw while running the 127th Boston Marathon, in order, were:
- Boston Strong
- Toenails are for losers
- Heartbreak is behind you now
Boston strong
The best answer to the why question is that running a race is mostly not about running at all. It’s about setting a goal that has both a convenient line on the pavement letting you know when you’re done and is simultaneously symbolic of a resolve to overcome other intangible challenges along the way.
This might be why the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing was so especially offensive, in addition to being a horrific and deadly terrorist attack. When two men placed homemade bombs near the finish that maimed or killed spectators and runners as they crossed the line, the violence cut deep because it targeted people in the midst of achieving their goals.
Security was high at the 10-year anniversary of the bombing. Uniformed police and military monitored the course, alert for inconsistencies in the crowd.
I started my race slow, focusing less on my pace than on not straining my Achilles. It was chilly, about 50 degrees, and I wore a yellow thrift store beanie with a Miller High Life patch to stay warm. At mile 3, so far so good with my heel, I had built up enough heat to take off the hat and toss it to a volunteer collecting discarded clothing.
After another couple of miles I started a descent into the town of Framingham. A large sheet hanging from a balcony on the left side of the road read “10 yrs. 'Still' Boston Strong” on a blue background with painted yellow letters, the official colors of the Boston Marathon.
It’s a strange thing to gain energy from a reminder about the loss and perseverance of others. But maybe this is one of the best gifts we can offer each other. The sign on the balcony seemed to send a shock wave of encouragement through the running crowd, reminding us that humans can persist through hard times.
I took out my phone and snapped a picture of the sign. Then I turned on my headphones, cued up a playlist and, in the miles ahead, channeled the triumph that this race and people who want to run it still exist.
Toenails are for losers
The rain picked up around mile 10, and so did the pain in my knees, my left heel, my hip flexors and more. I resolved to take a one-minute stretch break every three miles, hoping to improve my chances of finishing without injury but keeping stops brief to avoid the temptation to quit.
In college, my life was all about hurdling obstacles and not letting anything dissuade me from hard charging toward my goals. Later I learned that sometimes life is just about continuing to move forward through the bad days.
At the halfway point, the famed “scream tunnel” offers an energy boost to runners feeling the strain of the effort against the creeping mental doom of only being half done. Students line the course outside of Wellesley College, one of the oldest institutions of higher education for women in the country (but not the oldest; that honor is held by my own alma mater, Mount Holyoke College), screaming affirmations and holding signs with offers such as “Kiss me if you’re a lesbian.”
My favorite sign of this stretch was held by a young woman at about mile 15. It read “Toenails are for losers,” and it made me laugh out loud through the pain. I am all but guaranteed to lose two toenails in the coming weeks from repeated impact against the front of my shoe. They’ve already turned black, which is why I keep them painted blue. It’s OK. It’s happened to me before and, while gross and unsightly, the nails grow back just fine.
Sadistic maybe, but I actually kind of like it. It’s a visceral, visual reminder of the body’s amazing ability to renew and regenerate after loss and hardship.
Heartbreak is behind you now
Just as it’s easier to love an idea than a real person, the surge of inspiration that comes from registering for a race often exceeds the motivation experienced at the crux of the actual event.
In the Boston Marathon, the crux — climber speak for “hardest part” — is Heartbreak Hill, which tops out around mile 21. It’s a beast not only because of the 3.3% grade. It’s also the biggest physical and mental obstacle on the course because it comes at the exact point in the race when marathon runners are already hitting a “wall,” many not having run any farther than this in their training. Doubts creep in about tacking on another 6.2 miles to what has already been a near-max effort.
I was having these doubts at mile 20. About my Achilles. About my decision to take the previous two weeks off from running. About the tenacity of my soul after a year of repeated personal derailments.
But I put my head down and shuffled ahead. I didn’t look for the top of the hill. I didn’t look at how fast others were running. I focused on my form and putting one foot in front of the other.
A block from the top, I looked up and saw a man holding a huge, red sign high over his head that read “Heartbreak is behind you now.” I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a more welcome sign, physical or manifested. My heart thanked this man from the bottom of my tenacious soul and I pushed over the hill and into the final miles.
As I turned onto Boylston Street and saw the scaffolding over the finish line, I knew the race, and so much more, was behind me now. My goal was in reach, my journey nearly done, answers to my whys offered on signs held by strangers.
Forty years after my dad ran the Boston Marathon and then named me after the woman who set a world record that day, I completed the race in 4 hours and 55 seconds.
Do I wish that I had taken one less stretching break or picked up the pace so that I could have finished in under 4 hours? Yes. Do I wish that some things had gone differently for me over the past year? Of course.
But I left my regrets on Heartbreak Hill and the rest is a problem for the next starting line.
Joan Meiners is the climate news and storytelling reporter at The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. Before becoming a journalist, she completed a doctorate in ecology. Follow Joan on Twitter at @beecycles or email her at joan.meiners@arizonarepublic.com. Read more of her coverage at environment.azcentral.com.
Support climate coverage and local journalism by subscribing to azcentral.com at this link. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2023/05/06/how-finishing-the-boston-marathon-helped-close-a-40-year-old-circle/70181201007/ | 2023-05-06T14:17:00 | 0 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2023/05/06/how-finishing-the-boston-marathon-helped-close-a-40-year-old-circle/70181201007/ |
As roads deteriorate, how will Pinal County solve its transportation tax conundrum?
Every weekday morning, nearly 60% of Pinal County's commuters pilgrimage across county lines.
Nearly three-quarters of working residents there hold jobs in neighboring Maricopa County, according to data from the Maricopa Association of Governments.
But many of those who make the daily drive must contend with unrelenting, bumper-to-bumper traffic.
The county and its commuters are in a conundrum. Officials say new roads are desperately needed, particularly in the fast-growing eastern half of the county, but a half-cent sales tax that would have funded them failed in November.
"That whole corridor — if you just drew a circle from (State Route) 24 around to (State Route) 347, where Maricopa goes back into Maricopa County — that's all the growth," said Casa Grande Mayor Craig McFarland, who chairs the board of the Pinal Regional Transportation Authority. "Those (areas) are where all the industry is."
Meanwhile, the county's current roadways are in rough shape. A tax that helps maintain the county's existing 2,000 miles of pavement will expire in 2026, and officials will ask voters next election cycle to continue it.
Politics:Why the Arizona Legislature will shape the future of transportation in Maricopa County
If it doesn't pass, they'll need to try again for maintenance funds during the next general election cycle — and if that fails, county officials will have bigger problems than trying to build new arteries for commuters.
"I think if residents aren't happy with the condition of the roads today, they're going to be extremely unhappy five years from now if we don't have the ability to maintain them," said Celeste Garza, assistant county engineer for Pinal County's public works department.
Where does road funding come from?
Pinal County has two ways of funding its roads: a statewide fund and a county sales tax.
The Highway User Revenue Fund, or HURF, collects money from gas and vehicle license taxes and distributes revenues to Arizona's state highway system, cities and counties. It's designed to help governments maintain their roads, but it's been fixed at 18 cents per gallon for decades, and county officials say it hasn't kept pace with inflation and increases in the cost of roadwork.
The majority of the HURF funding received by Pinal County goes toward overhead costs, such as equipment to help maintain roads, officials said.
Pinal County's cities also get a cut of the revenue fund and maintenance tax money, which they use to maintain their own streets. The state uses its cut of HURF money and other funding to support its roads and highways, and the two interstate highways in Pinal County, I-10 and I-8, are largely financed by the federal government.
More:This Valley city will try a reduced speed limit near 2 schools following student outcry
Property taxes fund government operations in Pinal County, but not roads, officials said. Instead, the county's existing half-cent sales tax helps make up for what the revenue fund doesn't cover.
It's something of a "pothole type of tax," said Joe Ortiz, deputy director of Pinal County's Public Works Department. The county's voters first approved it in 1986 and most recently extended it in 2005, giving it legs until the end of 2026.
But even with that money, the county falls short of keeping its roads in pristine condition. On average, Pinal County roads get a C- or D rating for pavement conditions, officials said, meaning that the asphalt has begun to break down and must be preserved to avoid totally reconstructing the road.
"That is not good," Ortiz said. "Our reports are telling us that we need to spend $30 million a year just to maintain that status quo. That's the part that's tough — because then you take a look at the revenue generated off this excise tax. ... We're not at the end of the fiscal year, but we're looking closer to about $16 or $17 million."
Will the county get new roads?
Last year, Pinal County voters narrowly rejected Proposition 469, which would have imposed a half-cent sales tax to fund new roadways and transit options.
The transportation plan put together by the Pinal Regional Transportation Authority called for 13 roadway projects, allocations for local road projects in four communities, dial-a-ride services and park-and-ride lots. It included the construction of a 21-mile east-west corridor from Maricopa to Casa Grande and a 55-mile north-south corridor from Apache Junction to Eloy.
The plan — and the tax — had previously been passed by voters in 2017. But the version of the levy that voters initially approved created two taxation tiers: A one-half percent sales tax on the first $10,000 of any transaction and a zero percent sales tax on any portion over $10,000. The Goldwater Institute, a conservative think tank based in Phoenix, challenged the tax as unconstitutional. It was ultimately struck down by the Arizona Supreme Court.
Proposition 469, the retooled version of the tax, failed by just a few thousand votes.
The ballot was big, McFarland said, and voters were weary of politics. High inflation and rising costs didn't help, either. But ultimately, voters rejected the proposition because they didn't see the benefits of the roadways proposed in and near their communities, he said.
"My citizens, they voted against it because all they saw was half of the money was going to this north-south freeway that did nothing for Casa Grande," he said. "People aren't stupid. They'll figure it out."
Now, he and others leading the Pinal Regional Transportation Authority need to quickly figure out how to redesign the plan and get voters on board before 2025. McFarland said the new strategy is to create a cohesive regional transportation network, rather than trying to patchwork projects together to get individual communities on board.
"I think the voters want a good transportation system," McFarland said. "But I think we need to do a better job of designing a real plan like the Valley has, like the 101 and the 202 and the 303. And I think people will understand that — they know what the 101 is, they know what the 202 is, and I think they appreciate them."
Officials: Unmaintained roads just get worse
Part of the challenge of getting money for maintenance and new roads passed by voters is a countywide lack of knowledge about how roads are funded, officials said.
Most voters don't realize that property taxes don't fund their roads, they said, and not everyone understands the difference between the proposed half-cent tax for new construction and the existing half-cent pothole tax.
And, the timing of the maintenance tax expiration means officials will either need to put the taxes on the same ballot or ask voters to approve them in two consecutive elections.
"There's always a concern any time you have to go to the voters to get a tax passed," McFarland said. "It's never easy."
Currently, officials said the plan is to put the tax approvals on two separate ballots. That means Pinal County voters won't get a crack at approving new roadway plans and funds until at least 2025. If voters don't sign on, McFarland said it'll take at least another two years to get a new plan ready and a new tax on the ballot amid worsening traffic.
Meanwhile, county officials will try to continue the half-cent road maintenance tax on the 2024 ballot. If it fails, they'll have the option of reintroducing it in 2026.
When that tax first passed, Pinal County had mostly dirt and gravel roads, officials said. Over the three decades since, that balance has shifted. With paving projects spurred by urbanization and air quality concerns, the county now has about 1,500 miles of paved roads and 500 miles of dirt streets.
Smith said that if the tax expires he fears the trend could reverse, with paved roads reverting to dirt for lack of maintenance money.
The cost of restoring roads only increases as time passes, creating an even more financially daunting situation.
"Say it just doesn't pass," Ortiz said. "Finally, the residents come around and say, 'Okay, yeah, the roads are crap. We need or should have passed this.' Now you're really in a quandary, because those roads that we should have been keeping up for that year, now instead of costing $55,000 per mile, you're talking about $1 million per mile. ... I don't know if we'll be able to patch it up at that point."
Sasha Hupka is a watchdog reporter covering Maricopa County, Pinal County and regional issues for The Arizona Republic. Do you have a tip? Reach her at sasha.hupka@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on Twitter: @SashaHupka. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/pinal-traffic/2023/05/06/pinal-county-voters-transportation-road-taxes/70070015007/ | 2023-05-06T14:17:06 | 0 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/pinal-traffic/2023/05/06/pinal-county-voters-transportation-road-taxes/70070015007/ |
NORMAL — The Town of Normal will be flushing fire hydrants overnight from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. May 14 to 21.
According to a press release Friday, the hydrants need to be flushed to remove stagnant water and sediment from the system, and to test fire hydrant operation.
Crews have mapped the town into five different regions where work will take place, and the town is advising residents to avoid washing their clothes during the hours crews are working.
During this period, the town advises residents to run water from the faucet for one to two minutes, use cold water for cooking and drinking, or use alternative sources of water in order to reduce potential lead exposure. | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/normal-to-flush-fire-hydrants-may-14-21/article_e37ec184-eb54-11ed-b970-bf8d287d59d3.html | 2023-05-06T14:21:40 | 0 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/normal-to-flush-fire-hydrants-may-14-21/article_e37ec184-eb54-11ed-b970-bf8d287d59d3.html |
PEORIA — The 12th annual St. Jude Corvette Drive will depart from Uftring Chevrolet in Washington and travel on Interstates 74 and 57 to Memphis, Tennessee.
The group will meet with St. Louis, Louisville and Nashville drivers in Dyersburg, Tennessee, and will resume the journey to St. Jude Children's Hospital in Memphis on Friday, May 19.
Around 40 Corvettes will drive through the area May 18, including Bloomington-Normal around 7:30 a.m., as well as many other towns and villages in McLean County. The first stop will be the Farmland Rest Area near Farmer City around 8:15 a.m. | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/st-jude-corvette-drive-to-travel-through-central-illinois-may-18/article_33493daa-eabc-11ed-969c-0b6f0b5c7f1c.html | 2023-05-06T14:21:46 | 0 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/st-jude-corvette-drive-to-travel-through-central-illinois-may-18/article_33493daa-eabc-11ed-969c-0b6f0b5c7f1c.html |
Turf being installed as Muncie CHS stadium work on target for completion in early August
MUNCIE, Ind. − Artificial turf was being laid Friday for the new Muncie Central High School football field and stadium as construction continues on target for completion in early August.
The $5.8 million facility is being paid for through a school bond issue to be paid back over three years. The bonds for the stadium and field replace a recently paid off bond debt and won't result in a tax increase, school officials said last October.
CHS Athletic Director Jeff Holloway said the area will be near where plans call for a new Muncie YMCA to be built near the high school at Walnut Street and Columbus Avenue. He said that designs, when the construction is all completed, will actually increase the number of parking spaces available in the area.
The old stadium, which had been in place since 1950, was razed to make way for the new facility.
Once the turf is installed, the new field will be striped for both football and soccer. Cost of the turf was estimated at $700,000. The project also calls for a new 8-lane track for track-and-field events.
More:Muncie Central High School to get new $5.8 million football field, stadium before next season
The scoreboard was recently reinstalled and repositioned at the field. The seats to the west remain in place. But the entire field will receive new LED lighting. The new stadium will be located farther east and rise about four feet higher than the previous stadium for better views of the play.
The changes will improve drainage and should keep student athletes from having to stand in mud on the sidelines. The facility should put Muncie Central on par with other schools in the North Central Conference that already play on artificial turf. | https://www.thestarpress.com/story/news/local/2023/05/06/chs-stadium-turf-installed-as-completion-on-on-target-for-early-august-at-muncie-central-high-school/70188342007/ | 2023-05-06T14:30:24 | 1 | https://www.thestarpress.com/story/news/local/2023/05/06/chs-stadium-turf-installed-as-completion-on-on-target-for-early-august-at-muncie-central-high-school/70188342007/ |
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — One person is dead and another is seriously injured after a tanker truck carrying gasoline crashed and exploded early Saturday morning in Hillsborough County, the Florida Highway Patrol says.
The crash happened a little after 2:40 a.m. in the southbound lanes of U.S. 41, north of Bloomingdale Avenue, according to a news release.
FHP says a 23-year-old man driving a sedan hit the back of the tanker truck, causing the tanker to quickly exploded and travel off to the shoulder of the road, where it hit a utility pole before finally stopping.
1 dead, another seriously hurt after tanker truck 'full of gasoline' explodes following crash
The 49-year-old tanker truck driver died in the crash. No additional details about this crash have been released. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/hillsboroughcounty/tanker-truck-explosion-1-dead/67-7363e68e-505d-4e8c-945b-5408953a63fa | 2023-05-06T14:34:10 | 0 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/hillsboroughcounty/tanker-truck-explosion-1-dead/67-7363e68e-505d-4e8c-945b-5408953a63fa |
The Friends of Hawthorn Hollow volunteer group is accepting plant donations for the upcoming “Birds & Plants” event on Saturday, May 13.
Donated plants will be sold at the event, which raises funds to support Hawthorn Hollow’s mission of education and preservation.
Plant donations can be dropped off in front of the Hyslop Nature Center at Hawthorn Hollow, 880 Green Bay Road in Somers.
Items sought are non-invasive natives and ornamental plants, house plants, grasses, herbs and vegetables.
People making donations are asked to have all plants potted and labeled with the plant’s common name and basic growing instructions (sun/shade, etc.)
Plant donations can be dropped off at the table in front of the nature center.
Organizers add, “Please make sure to sign the donation book so we know who to thank.”
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“Birds & Plants” will feature the plant sale, along with two guided bird walks (at 9 and 10 a.m.), a bake sale and live entertainment, including a Maypole Dance by Witches in Motion. Admission is free.
Friends of Hawthorn Hollow members will be at the event to answer gardening questions and sign up new members.
The venue’s Two Sisters Boutique will be open, selling handmade and locally crafted items.
For more information or to join the Friends of Hawthorn Hollow, log on at hawthornhollow.org/fohhmembership. | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/hawthorn-hollow-seeking-plant-donations-for-may-13-event/article_bd8173d6-eab0-11ed-b0d6-bbaca0cb49d9.html | 2023-05-06T14:42:42 | 0 | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/hawthorn-hollow-seeking-plant-donations-for-may-13-event/article_bd8173d6-eab0-11ed-b0d6-bbaca0cb49d9.html |
Name: Aimeé Rocha
School: Bradford High School
Parents: Salvador Rocha and Juanita Rodriguez
Most memorable high school moment: One of my most memorable high school moments would be placing for state at the 2023 DECA district 6 competition. It was a great time to explore career options and imagine myself in the business industry. It would have not been possible without Tracie Nielson-Newberry, my advisor and marketing teacher who guided me through it all.
Most influential teacher: Olga Tovar in Spanish for Spanish Speakers II; I first got placed in one of Mrs. Tovar’s class my freshman year. Although she was my teacher for one year, she looked after me for the following three. She sees potential and capability in every single kid and strives to guide them. Mrs.Tovar chooses to be the voice of others and advocates for students rights. Not only does she teach academic lessons but life lessons too, always telling students to be proud of where they come from. She is someone who makes me feel comfortable at school because I know there is someone nearby always cheering me on and who truly wants the best for me.
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School activities/clubs: DECA, Key Club, yearbook, Latino Empowerment
School offices held: Treasurer—Latino Empowerment
Honors, letters or awards: 2023 Kindness Award
College choice: Undecided
Intended major/field of study: Elementary Education
Role model: My middle school teacher Jacqueline Hoy
Three words that best describe my role model: Caring, persistent, and inspiring.
What I hope to accomplish in my lifetime: Once I become an educator, I would love to cause an impact and motive children to become the best versions of themselves. I would also like to continue to travel and see the world, one country at a time. | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/todays-teen-2023-aime-rocha-of-bradford-high-school/article_0304b4d6-eb74-11ed-9167-7f3a9fd91b3b.html | 2023-05-06T14:42:48 | 0 | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/todays-teen-2023-aime-rocha-of-bradford-high-school/article_0304b4d6-eb74-11ed-9167-7f3a9fd91b3b.html |
Derrick Bass has taken over Depot Dog from his parents, Russell and Pamela Bass. The hot dog joint with a caboose where people eat outside on benches is a staple of the summer for anyone visiting West Beach in the Indiana Dunes National Park.
John J. Watkins, The Times
Derrick Bass (right) poses with his parents, Russell and Pamela Bass, who started Depot Dog in 1989. "We had a pretty good life. We never really hurt for anything," Derrick says. "I wanted to keep it in the family and carry on the tradition."
John J. Watkins, The Times
Derrick Bass has taken over Depot Dog from his parents, Russell and Pamela Bass. "This is a well-known iconic destination in the Indiana Dunes, somewhere people visit when they come to Northwest Indiana," he says. "I'm proud to carry that legacy on."
John J. Watkins, The Times
Derrick Bass has taken over Depot Dog from his parents, Russell and Pamela Bass. The hot dog joint with a caboose where people eat outside on benches is a staple of the summer for anyone visiting West Beach in the Indiana Dunes National Park.
John J. Watkins, The Times
Derrick Bass has taken over Depot Dog from his parents, Russell and Pamela Bass. The hot dog joint with a caboose where people eat outside on benches is a staple of the summer for anyone visiting West Beach in the Indiana Dunes National Park.
For more than three decades, beachgoers have had a ritual while visiting West Beach, the biggest and most popular beach in the Indiana Dunes National Park.
People in search of some surf and sand along the Lake Michigan lakeshore make a point of stopping by Depot Dogs, the landmark rail-themed hot dog joint with the caboose at the border of Porter and Gary's Miller neighborhood.
The outdoor counter-serve restaurant screams summer vacation, with its picnic benches, wooden decks, flowers, birdhouses and bright red-and-yellow umbrellas to shield diners with a cooling shade.
Former steelworker Russell and Pamela Bass started Depot Dog in 1989, with its season running from April until around October or November. Depot Dog quickly became a regular stop for many families headed to the Indiana Dunes who relished its Chicago dogs, Maxwell Street Polish and other sausages that come automatically with a scoop of fries fresh out of the fryer.
"My wife and I worked very hard to build that business," Russell said. "We were there eight to 10 hours a day seven days a week with our nose to the grindstone. We made good food and served it in a timely fashion so people can get back to their jobs."
The restaurant in the red caboose at 5016 Melton Road in Portage has been passed on to the next generation. Their son Derrick and his wife, Amy, are now running the iconic pit stop.
"A lot of our clientele comes from the Miller area, and a lot is tourism, especially from Chicago, Illinois and other parts of the country," Derrick said. "People come either before or after they go to the beaches at the Indiana Dunes."
Depot Dog serves only Vienna Beef products, including hot dogs with a casing with a snap when you bite into it. It was inducted into the Vienna Beef Hall of Fame in 2010.
"The food comes out hot and fresh," Derrick said. "It's all freshly prepared. Nothing is pulled from freezers where it's sitting for days or weeks."
The next-generation ownership agreed to keep the hot dog stand the way it has been for the past 33 years. They have been looking to maintain its feel and charm while adding a few menu items, such as a Razo-Do deep-fried Polish, a Ditka Polish and the Sha-Zam Ditka Polish, which stretches 8 inches long and weighs a third of a pound.
Derrick Bass had been living in Noblesville working a job in health care when his father told him he planned to retire. He came back up to learn inventory, payroll, scheduling, filling out taxes and running a business. He took the reins last year and just embarked on his second season.
"As long as the weather is good, we're successful," he said. "I enjoy it. You're your own boss. There's camaraderie with the employees. You're close with the customers. They ask how your parents are doing, say they're legendary, remember them and share feel-good stories. We're starting new relationships."
Bass grew up working in the restaurant, which was originally called West Beach Depot Dogs but changed its name after a year. It was the only listing in the phone book for West Beach, and 20 to 30 people called a day to ask if the beach was open.
"I worked at the Bethlehem Steel mill when I started it in Miller during the 1980s," Russell said. "It was desperate times. People working in the mill were getting laid off. I had a mortgage and responsibility. I didn't know if I wanted to stick with the mill."
He located the hot dog joint near the then-National Lakeshore to capitalize off the traffic and put it in a caboose at a time when they were being phased out.
"I thought it was pretty unique," he said. "It was an attraction."
He got advice on how to run the business from legendary hot dog king Chuck Wheeler, whose Chuck Wheeler's Vienna Beef remains a popular draw at Village Mall in Gary long after many of the other storefronts have become vacant. He listened to Wheeler's recommendations about quality, freshness and only serving Vienna Beef with the skin on.
Derrick helped out around Depot Dog when he was a kid. The business was his bus stop when he was in elementary and middle school. He got dropped off after school and hung out in the back with his sister, who would draw in coloring books.
They would play around, building forts out of bread trays stacked in the woods behind the caboose. He once went with a friend to retrieve a dollar under the wooden patio, braving the spiders, bugs and dank darkness for more than an hour. They found about $80 in change.
"We had a pretty good life. We never really hurt for anything," he said. "I wanted to keep it in the family and carry on the tradition."
So he moved back home to Northwest Indiana to take over.
"I didn't want to see it sold to another individual or conglomerate who would turn it into something my family didn't create," he said. "I didn't want them to level that corner and turn it into something else. You see Luke Gas Stations popping up everywhere in the community. If something like that came in, it would be pretty heartbreaking."
He was to carry on the legacy.
"That legacy makes me very proud and makes me feel good inside. This is a well-known iconic destination in the Indiana Dunes, somewhere people visit when they come to Northwest Indiana. I'm proud to carry that legacy on."
Depot Dog has drawn customers from Poland, England, Australia and all over the country, especially since the Indiana Dunes became a national park. A family with an RV rolled in this week from Arizona.
"The national park draws more than 3 million people a year. It's always meant a lot of traffic," Derrick said. The people come to us. It takes care of itself. We just want to be successful for another 33 years."
NWI Business Ins and Outs: Buona/Rainbow Cone, Fat Burrito, Pickles Kids and Dear Dani Boutique opening
Joseph S. Pete is a Lisagor Award-winning business reporter who covers steel, industry, unions, the ports, retail, banking and more. The Indiana University grad has been with The Times since 2013 and blogs about craft beer, culture and the military.
Derrick Bass has taken over Depot Dog from his parents, Russell and Pamela Bass. The hot dog joint with a caboose where people eat outside on benches is a staple of the summer for anyone visiting West Beach in the Indiana Dunes National Park.
Derrick Bass (right) poses with his parents, Russell and Pamela Bass, who started Depot Dog in 1989. "We had a pretty good life. We never really hurt for anything," Derrick says. "I wanted to keep it in the family and carry on the tradition."
Derrick Bass has taken over Depot Dog from his parents, Russell and Pamela Bass. "This is a well-known iconic destination in the Indiana Dunes, somewhere people visit when they come to Northwest Indiana," he says. "I'm proud to carry that legacy on."
Derrick Bass has taken over Depot Dog from his parents, Russell and Pamela Bass. The hot dog joint with a caboose where people eat outside on benches is a staple of the summer for anyone visiting West Beach in the Indiana Dunes National Park.
Derrick Bass has taken over Depot Dog from his parents, Russell and Pamela Bass. The hot dog joint with a caboose where people eat outside on benches is a staple of the summer for anyone visiting West Beach in the Indiana Dunes National Park. | https://www.nwitimes.com/business/local/next-generation-takes-reins-at-landmark-depot-dog-a-longtime-favorite-for-beachgoers/article_9b0ac01e-eb82-11ed-aef5-4b369ee140a4.html | 2023-05-06T14:47:14 | 0 | https://www.nwitimes.com/business/local/next-generation-takes-reins-at-landmark-depot-dog-a-longtime-favorite-for-beachgoers/article_9b0ac01e-eb82-11ed-aef5-4b369ee140a4.html |
Milwaukee police shootings leave two people wounded as officers sought to disperse crowd
Two Milwaukee police officers were involved in separate shootings that left two people wounded as officers sought to disperse a crowd late Friday night on the city's south side.
The near simultaneous shootings took place at around 11 p.m. in the vicinity of the 1200 block of South Cesar Chávez Drive, Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman said.
"Several officers were already deployed to the area due to a large crowd that was engaged in reckless behavior," Norman told reporters. "Officers were trying to disperse the crowd and several individuals started firing shots in the vicinity."
Norman described the suspects' gunshots as "celebratory." No other injuries were reported by police.
Police said in one incident, an officer encountered a 22-year-old Greenfield man who was armed and firing shots on the 1200 block of South 15th Place. The officer gave the man several commands to drop the gun before discharging his firearm and striking the man. A handgun was recovered, police said.
The wounded man was transported to a local hospital for treatment of non-fatal injuries.
Police said the officer involved in the shooting is a 33-year-old man with more than seven years of service.
The Milwaukee Police Department Homicide Unit will investigate the shooting because the injury to the suspect was not life-threatening.
At around the same time as the first shooting, another officer encountered an armed suspect firing shots on the 1200 block of South Cesar Chávez Drive, police said. After giving the suspect several commands to stop, the officer fired his weapon several times striking the person, whose handgun was recovered at the scene.
Police said the suspect is a 17-year-old Milwaukee male who was transported to a local hospital for treatment of serious injuries.
The officer involved in the second shooting is a 40-year-old man with more than seven years of service.
The Milwaukee Area Investigative Team will investigate the second incident because it was initially believed the suspect’s injuries were life-threatening. Milwaukee Police said the suspect was in stable condition. The Wauwatosa Police Department will be the lead law enforcement agency in this investigation.
"There are no other reported injuries," Norman told reporters. "But firing celebratory gunfire for any event is unacceptable. When these incidents occurred, several firearms were discharged in a vacinity including full automatic firearms. I'm thankful no other officers were injured in this incident."
Both officers were placed on administrative leave, which is routine in officer-involved shootings, police said.
Norman said video from both incidents "will be released according to the new policy."
Last month, Milwaukee’s police oversight board approved the new policy that requires the release of footage of fatal police shootings and other similar incidents to be released publicly after 15 days.
The policy also allows family of those hurt or killed by police the opportunity to view footage within 48 hours. It does not give police any chance at extending either deadline. | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2023/05/06/milwaukee-police-shootings-leave-two-people-wounded-on-citys-south-side/70190739007/ | 2023-05-06T14:49:06 | 0 | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2023/05/06/milwaukee-police-shootings-leave-two-people-wounded-on-citys-south-side/70190739007/ |
Tucson hospitals and county health officials weren't immediately notified about a nitric acid spill on Interstate 10 in February, among communication missteps in a mostly strong and effective emergency response, says a new report.
The after-action report by the Pima County Emergency Management Office, released to the public on Friday, assessed strengths and weaknesses in all agencies' response to the hazardous material spill.
On Feb. 14, truck driver Ricky Immel, 54, was driving near Kolb Road on I-10 when he slowly veered off the road and onto the median, where the uneven ground caused the truck to roll onto its left side. Containers carrying about 18,200 kilograms of nitric acid ruptured in the crash, causing the Arizona Department of Public Safety to shut down both directions of the interstate and tell residents and other people in the area to shelter in place.
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Immel died in the crash. He had a blood alcohol level nearly eight times above the state’s legal limit, the county medical examiner found.
With the help of the Tucson Fire Department and DPS, the county Emergency Management Office conducted a survey and held two debriefing sessions to discuss when went well and what could have gone better. The first session was for first responders and the second session included community stakeholders and support agencies, the report said.
“No incident response is ever perfect. Lessons are learned and reinforced,” the Emergency Management Office said in the report.
At a recent Pima County Board of Supervisors meeting, Supervisor Steve Christy asked that the report be made public and available to the board.
The report states that several agencies from various disciplines worked well together throughout the incident. Many survey participants also listed teamwork and cooperation as strengths.
The immediate response and swift actions by various agencies were also highlighted. A commuting Border Patrol agent was first at the scene and was able to take the initial steps in closing I-10 before a full closure of the interstate was ordered 15 minutes later, the report said.
Also within 15 minutes of the initial 911 call, the substance that spilled was identified as nitric acid and the National Weather Service was able to provide plume modeling for the first responders at the scene.
The WebEOC, a crisis information management system accessible via the internet where responders across the state can share incident updates, was found to be a valuable source for sharing information. Using the system, updates were provided throughout the incident.
Websites made by various agencies were also praised for keeping the public informed. DPS created a website dedicated to providing updates on the crash and shelter in place notifications while the Pima County Health Department worked with the Arizona Poison Control Center in creating a website in response to the public’s concerns about exposure to the acid.
When it comes to opportunities for improvement, communication was brought up several times.
While the three transportation departments, the Arizona Department of Transportation, Pima County Department of Transportation and Tucson Department of Transportation, assembled traffic plans to deal with the I-10 closure, the departments did not share information with each other. This created community stress as there was no unified detour designated, the report said.
The incident command post was not clearly identified or known to all response partners, causing multiple responders to have trouble finding the DPS incident commander on-scene, the report said. One survey response said eight Marana Police Department officers were sent to the scene and could not locate the incident command post.
Radio communication between responders was another issue found. While local public safety and public service organizations can easily communicate with each other using the Pima County Wireless Integration Network, other partners who do not use it have limited access, hindering radio operability with DPS, the report said.
"Communication was hampered as interaction between the lead public information officer and other PIOs was very limited,” the report said. This led several survey takers to recommend activating a joint information system to help create unified messaging during emergencies such as the nitric acid spill.
That would help alleviate discrepancies in messaging and help provide clear information to media and public outlets, the report said.
Lastly, many responding agencies were not well informed on the incident, the report said. Initial notification about the incident was not made by DPS to the Pima County Emergency Management Office.
A recommendation has since been made that DPS notify that office of incidents affecting the community, the report said.
Other support agencies such as the Pima County Department of Transportation, the Pima County Health Department and local hospitals were also not immediately notified of the incident, leaving many with limited information or lack of messaging. The health department was not notified until the following day, the report said.
“Agencies and departments appropriately review and revise their internal policies and procedures, leading to more comprehensive preparedness for the next emergency," the Emergency Management Office said in the report. "It is already being witnessed that lessons learned are being shared among partners, collaboration and coordination enhances community preparedness. Relationships and networking are being reinforced.”
Jamie Donnelly covers breaking news for the Arizona Daily Star. Contact her via e-mail at jdonnelly@tucson.com | https://tucson.com/news/local/report-cites-strengths-weaknesses-in-nitric-acid-spill-response/article_08eec8fe-eb84-11ed-91be-bfc0102c90ae.html | 2023-05-06T14:58:20 | 1 | https://tucson.com/news/local/report-cites-strengths-weaknesses-in-nitric-acid-spill-response/article_08eec8fe-eb84-11ed-91be-bfc0102c90ae.html |
The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:
As an Asian-Pacific American, I’m filled with pride to support Julie Su as Secretary of Labor. Julie Su is the daughter of Chinese immigrants. Her mother came to the United States on a cargo ship because she couldn’t afford a passenger ticket, her parents later built a small laundromat business and raised a daughter who became a worker’s advocate and civil rights leader. Su’s unwavering dedication to confronting corporate greed and championing workers’ rights is genuinely inspiring.
Her track record speaks volumes about her commitment to creating a more inclusive economy and fighting for the millions of working families around the country; exactly the type of leader we need managing our Department of Labor. The numbers speak for themselves: the labor market has been sluggish; wage growth stagnating for decades and income inequality an all-time high. This reality has been even more challenging for marginalized communities, including Asian-Pacific Americans, who face discrimination and barriers to advancement.
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A barrier to advancement many minorities face is wage theft. This includes the underpayment of wages, denials of benefits, and failure to pay overtime. In Arizona alone, an estimated $473 million in wages are stolen from workers each year, equivalent to 2.6% of the state’s total workforce or about 80,093 workers. This staggering amount of money should be going to hard-working individuals and their families to keep food on the table and a roof over their heads. We are not keeping our promise that if you work hard enough you can achieve the American dream. Our systems are broken. However, with Su at the helm of the Department of Labor, there is hope for change.
As former Labor Commissioner of California, she implemented groundbreaking policies to protect workers from wage theft, and her efforts resulted in over $50 million in stolen wages being recovered for workers. Julie is lawful and accountable to the people she represents.
Su is endorsed by a range of business groups and labor leaders from the AFL-CIO and NABTU to LiUNA and the United Mineworkers. She has garnered all the right support and all the expected corporate opposition, who are more concerned for their profits rather than the people who keep our country running.
Across the country, working people are contacting Senators to ensure Su is our next Secretary of Labor. It is time to stand with Julie Su and support her nomination as Secretary of Labor. Her experience and commitment to workers’ rights make her the best candidate to ensure that all workers, regardless of their job classification, receive the basic labor protections we are entitled to. We are urging our Senators to confirm her appointment and work towards creating a fair and just workplace for all.
Fred Yamashita, a native of Detroit, Michigan, accepted his position at the AZ AFL-CIO in November 2017. Prior to that, Fred spent 20 years working for the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 99, before which he spent 20 years as a worker on the floor in the grocery industry. Fred served as Chair of the Pima Area Labor Federation from 2015 until moving back to Phoenix to accept the position as Executive Director. | https://tucson.com/opinion/local/arizona-opinion-why-julie-su-s-nomination-as-secretary-of-labor-matters-to-asian-pacific/article_335fe4d2-e531-11ed-b810-5769527f5b03.html | 2023-05-06T14:58:39 | 0 | https://tucson.com/opinion/local/arizona-opinion-why-julie-su-s-nomination-as-secretary-of-labor-matters-to-asian-pacific/article_335fe4d2-e531-11ed-b810-5769527f5b03.html |
The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:
In a recent flurry of Guest Opinions and Letters to the Editor Tucson Electric Power (TEP) has come under heavy criticism for failing to put some meaningful dollars into supporting Tucson’s Climate Plan and implementing climate mitigation projects. Writers accuse TEP of making non binding big promises while at the same time failing to legally commit real help with Tucson’s declared climate emergency.
TEP customers are feeling the squeeze of climate change. We are the 3rd most warming City in the U.S.; we have bad air quality-graded “F” by the American Lung Association; we have dwindling water sources; and we have lockstep increases in crime and homeless camps as climate catastrophes exacerbate income inequality. We need help in mitigating inevitable climate disasters and diasporas.
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So we turn to the City for help. But the City doesn’t have that kind of money. And as I write this the Federal funding for climate mitigation (Inflation Reduction Act) is wobbly as politics threaten to gut the Act and financially default the USA.
So we turn to TEP, our energy supplier and self proclaimed good Tucson citizen with a PR megaphone and promises of a green and renewable energy future.
But TEP can never be our climate savior. Despite good local people working, decisions are made much higher in the food chain. It is only beholden to shareholders not Tucson. It responds only to quarterly earnings not climate catastrophes. It’s not that the local TEP folks don’t care, it’s just that TEP has no conscience. It just does what is required to maintain a semblance of goodwill in line with its profit expectations.
It’s just a company not a sentient being. Our hue and cry for climate mitigation actions are met with PR spin because that’s what companies do to maintain that semblance of goodwill. It’s really just business. If the level of climate disaster here reaches a level that affects TEP’s bottom line then and only then will TEP take action.
At times that strategically means sprinkling dollars into the local communities for goodwill, and at times it means making small contract concessions. TEP is pretty much legally obligated to fight any inroads into its bottom line — and could otherwise be successfully sued by its shareholders.
Here’s another reality checkpoint. Your overworked and generally under appreciated Council members make $24,000 a year, the Mayor a whopping $42,000. The CEO (a UA grad!) of the company (Fortis) that owns TEP made $11,000,000 in 2021. Negotiating with TEP is like bringing boxing gloves a gun fight.
TEP can only be dragged kicking and screaming into meaningful climate mitigation projects if the City has sufficient leverage. And that leverage can only arise out of TEP’s concern for its profits. That leverage could spring out of its continuing dismal PR — plenty to choose from here: bloated executive compensation, purposefully misleading PR on renewable energy percentages, decades of unkept promises, etc. — could spring out of an existential threat like Tucson starting its own electrical utility — or could spring out of a concern (mostly unfounded) that Community Choice Energy could become legislatively enabled in Arizona.
So where does the climate buck stop if not with TEP? Well, Shakespeare said it best through J. Caesar: “The fault dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves … ” Stop electing legislators and Commissioners based upon party affiliation and instead elect them on how they will address the climate emergency we now face. The current legislature wouldn’t even allow Community Choice Energy Bills to get past Committee. The current Arizona Corporation Commission has a majority of climate change do nothings. Start there — after you Vote No on 412.
Rick Rappaport is a member of Citizens Climate Lobby, Tucson Climate Coalition and Arizonans for Community Choice Energy. | https://tucson.com/opinion/local/local-opinion-in-defense-of-tucson-electric-power/article_e695bfc0-ea92-11ed-9550-e39c35e7acad.html | 2023-05-06T14:58:45 | 1 | https://tucson.com/opinion/local/local-opinion-in-defense-of-tucson-electric-power/article_e695bfc0-ea92-11ed-9550-e39c35e7acad.html |
Police respond to downtown Gainesville shooting early Saturday morning
Gainesville police responded early Saturday morning to a shooting downtown that ended with a person being taken to the hospital.
The shooting occurred on South Main Street around 1:07 a.m., according to the Gainesville Police Department.
Officers, who were patrolling on foot, ran to the area after hearing gunshots and found a victim with a gunshot wound. Officers rendered aid until EMS arrived, the department posted on its Facebook.
More:Superintendent Shane Andrew defends lack of progress, evaluation during heated meeting
The victim was then transported to a local area hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Investigators on scene collected evidence and are conducting a further investigation. Additional information will be made later, the department wrote.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Combined Communication Center at 352-955-1818. | https://www.gainesville.com/story/news/local/2023/05/06/gainesville-police-respond-to-downtown-shooting-1-injured/70190836007/ | 2023-05-06T15:05:49 | 0 | https://www.gainesville.com/story/news/local/2023/05/06/gainesville-police-respond-to-downtown-shooting-1-injured/70190836007/ |
Head-on, wrong way crash on I-696 kills two drivers
A wrong-way crash on Interstate 696 near Greenfield Road in Southfield resulted in the deaths of two drivers early Saturday morning, Michigan State Police said in a tweet.
Police responded to the crash on westbound I-696 at 4:30 a.m. Two vehicles had collided head-on in the center-right lane and both drivers were killed instantly, police said. The drivers were the only occupants of the vehicles.
A preliminary investigation into the crash revealed that a 2022 Ford F-150 was traveling west on I-696 in the center-right land while a 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee was traveling east in the same lane. No witnesses reported a wrong-way driver prior to the crash, MSP said.
Police had not identified either driver as of 8 a.m. Saturday.
“We are trying to determine why the driver of the Jeep was driving the wrong way,” MSP 1st Lt. Mike Shaw said in a tweet. “We will need to wait for autopsy results to see if impairment is a factor... But again, this is another example of poor driving behavior leading to the loss of lives”.
hmackay@detroitnews.com | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/oakland-county/2023/05/06/head-on-wrong-way-crash-on-i-696-kills-two-drivers/70190853007/ | 2023-05-06T15:08:49 | 1 | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/oakland-county/2023/05/06/head-on-wrong-way-crash-on-i-696-kills-two-drivers/70190853007/ |
Shop local is a mantra you're likely to hear more from a local chamber of commerce.
The Highland-Griffith Chamber of Commerce has launched a new "shop small" committee to promote shopping at local merchants year-round.
The committee aims to encourage people to shop small around the year through promotions, to recruit new members and to stage activities and events that will showcase the chamber to the local business community and the general public at large.
“The original purpose of the committee was to organize an event to celebrate Small Business Saturday,” Executive Director Lance Ryskamp said. “However, we have decided to greatly expand its scope and instead promote and celebrate Small Business Saturday every day.”
The committee will create a sustained social media campaign to encourage people to shop local, work to bring sports tourism to Highland and Griffith and promote Small Business Saturday and Small Business Season during the holidays.
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It will help recruit a network of associate Highland Griffith Chamber members to help recruit new small businesses and entrepreneurs, as well as to serve as a resource for current members.
SCORE Mentors/Northwest Indiana, Northwest Indiana Small Business Development Center, NWI BizHub, Hammond Development Corp.n Innovation Hub of Valparaiso University and the Department of Managerial Studies at Purdue University Northwest have agreed to become associate members, Ryskamp said.
“I am so excited at the great response I have received from the associate members,” Ryskamp said. “I believe they all will serve as a great network of resources to our chamber members and small business owners who wish to join our organization. The bulk of our membership is businesses with one to five employees. I want our chamber to help local small businesses, which are the economic backbone of our communities, grow and thrive. I think this is a great next step in fulfilling that mission.”
For further information, call 219-923-3666 or email info@hgchamber.org.
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Joseph S. Pete is a Lisagor Award-winning business reporter who covers steel, industry, unions, the ports, retail, banking and more. The Indiana University grad has been with The Times since 2013 and blogs about craft beer, culture and the military.
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Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. | https://www.nwitimes.com/business/local/highland-griffith-chamber-of-commerce-launches-shop-small-committee/article_efab3166-eaac-11ed-b581-f3dd7ea0ca09.html | 2023-05-06T15:09:02 | 1 | https://www.nwitimes.com/business/local/highland-griffith-chamber-of-commerce-launches-shop-small-committee/article_efab3166-eaac-11ed-b581-f3dd7ea0ca09.html |
The City of Gary has enlisted the aid of the Legacy Foundation to administer grants using $500,000 in federal American Rescue Plan Act money.
The city decided to use the money to aid nonprofit organizations serving residents of Gary. Grants can be requested in an amount of up to $50,000. Grant proposals should focus on either the prevention or reduction of the spread of the COVID-19 virus, or responses to negative economic impacts due to COVID-19 on the nonprofit organization and the clients it serves.
“We are honored and excited to be collaborating with City of Gary officials on this important work,” said Legacy President and CEO Kelly Anoe. “These grants will provide support to local organizations who provided vital services to Gary residents during the worst of the pandemic, as well as through the recovery period and beyond.”
The ARPA funding comes from a total of $50 million received by Gary to help bridge budget shortfalls and mitigate the financial shock of the pandemic.
“Nonprofit organizations have always played major roles in supporting the citizens of Gary, and we really saw them step up during the historic pandemic,” Mayor Jerome Prince said. “I cannot think of a better partner than the Legacy Foundation to assist us in utilizing a portion of our city’s ARPA funds to return just some of the support nonprofits have always provided our residents.”
The grant application period lasts until 5 p.m. June 18. Qualified applicants must be a 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(19) tax-exempt organization, and projects should be geographically focused on Gary. Priority will be given to organizations located in the city.
An information session will be held on May 15. Potential applicants can learn more and begin their application online at legacyfdn.org/arpa-grant.
Photos: A look back at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II ... 70 years ago
The Times Media Company is dedicated to improving the quality of life in Northwest Indiana, through local news, information, service initiatives and community partnerships. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/gary/gary-legacy-foundation-partner-on-arpa-grants/article_ae5bbcbc-eb7e-11ed-9e48-bb0376031e1f.html | 2023-05-06T15:09:06 | 1 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/gary/gary-legacy-foundation-partner-on-arpa-grants/article_ae5bbcbc-eb7e-11ed-9e48-bb0376031e1f.html |
DALLAS(KDAF)—Naked gardening isn’t just a trend; it’s a lifestyle that’s changing the way people think about gardening.
On May 6, we’ll celebrate National Naked Gardening Day.
The National Today said “World Naked Gardening Day is an event celebrated on the first Saturday of May of every year, and this year, it takes place on May 6. Gardeners from all over the world get together to attend to their plants and flowers wearing no clothes or shoes. This way, they’re able to connect to the origins of gardening and our natural relationship with Mother Nature”.
Taking advantage of this unconventional holiday, a lawn care website, LawnStarter compiled a list of the best cities across the country for naked gardening; a lot of cities in Texas made the list!
Lawstarted said “We compared the 200 biggest U.S. cities based on nudist population size, indecent exposure laws, and, of course, gardener-friendliness. We also looked at weather forecasts, access to waxing salons, and sex offender listings, among 12 total metrics.”
The following cities in Texas are the best places to go naked gardening:
- Austin
- Frisco
- Dallas
- Mc Allen
- Laredo
- Corpus Christi
- Brownsville | https://cw33.com/news/local/lets-get-naked-dallas-listed-among-the-best-texas-cities-for-naked-gardening/ | 2023-05-06T15:09:42 | 1 | https://cw33.com/news/local/lets-get-naked-dallas-listed-among-the-best-texas-cities-for-naked-gardening/ |
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – Just after 8 a.m. on April 18, a man called the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center to report his girlfriend had been shot.
“Her friend was showing her a gun... she said it went off,” he told the operator.
A five-page affidavit made public Saturday sheds new light on the arrest of Alice McClure, 36, who faces a manslaughter charge in the death of her friend — identified as Heather Bowen — after allegedly shooting Bowen in her forehead.
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The shooting occurred in the living room of McClure’s residence along Cinnamon Teal Drive near Mims some hours after her fiance had left for work, the affidavit states. According to the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, deputies arrived to locate McClure and the man who called 911, directing them outside and later to a secure location for interviews. Deputies reported hearing McClure make spontaneous statements that she shot Bowen while showing her a gun and did not understand why it fired.
Deputies were told there was no animosity among anyone in the individuals’ friend group, having all met out of state and routinely visiting each other for around five years. Bowen and the man had arrived in Mims around two weeks prior to the shooting and both planned to work for DoorDash that particular morning, yet the man decided he wanted to sleep in, he said.
As the man slept, McClure told deputies she and Bowen began a conversation that transitioned to the topic of self-defense. Following statements about how Bowen kept a knife under her pillow, McClure said she personally “no longer needed to do that since she kept a gun by her bed now,” according to deputies.
After McClure retrieved a Ruger .38 Special from her nightstand, she brought it to Bowen, at which point she told deputies it began to slip from her hand, she “squeezed” it, and it went off.
The noise woke the man, who reported he could not tell whether the sounds McClure was now making across the home were crying or laughing. McClure “busted” through a door to where the man was sleeping, “visibly upset and verbally incoherent,” unable to call 911 when asked to do so, the man told deputies.
Bowen was pronounced dead April 20 at Holmes Regional Medical Center, deputies said.
[STORY CONTINUES BELOW]
As the investigation continued, McClure said during her third interview with law enforcement that she was untruthful in initial talks with deputies.
While she said at first that the hammer of the revolver had not been cocked prior to the shooting, she told deputies now that she knew the hammer was in its firing position as she held it with her thumb and attempted to depress it by pulling the trigger, which discharged a single round into Bowen’s forehead, the affidavit describes.
McClure was released from jail Wednesday on a $15,000 bond amount.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/05/06/she-said-it-went-off-affidavit-details-florida-womans-arrest-in-friends-fatal-shooting/ | 2023-05-06T15:12:56 | 0 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/05/06/she-said-it-went-off-affidavit-details-florida-womans-arrest-in-friends-fatal-shooting/ |
At a ceremony held last week, five Flagstaff students were awarded scholarships through the Haven Walker Music Scholarship Fund.
This year, two student musicians at Coconino High School (CHS) and three at Flagstaff High School (FHS) were each awarded a $1,500 scholarship through the fund. This included CHS 10th grader Makaila Cardon, CHS 11th grader Loralynn Yazzie, FHS 10th grader Ella Gregory and FHS ninth graders Mayla Speer and Lesley Smith.
Cardon and Speer are both violinists, while Smith and Gregory are percussionists and Yazzie is a cellist.
The Walker Scholarship is meant to help students pay for music lessons and instrument purchases or rentals, with awards determined “based on financial need, talent and a demonstrated commitment to music.”
The recipients were chosen by a music advisory board based on their applications, including a filmed performance, personal essay and recommendations. Local musicians on this year’s advisory board were Tony Abrams, Jacqui Foreman, Hunter Eagleman Redday, Mike Taylor and Matthew Morrison.
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This is the Walker Scholarship’s second year, as it was started in 2021 by Bob and Pina Miller in partnership with the Flagstaff Music Festival. The scholarship is in honor of the Miller’s son, Flagstaff musician Haven Walker.
Last year, five student musicians from schools across Flagstaff received $1,000 scholarships from the fund.
“The Millers hope and expect the Haven Walker Music Scholarship Fund will support local young musicians for many years to come while also engaging and supporting the Flagstaff music community,” the announcement said.
More information about the scholarship fund, including ways to contribute can be found at flagstaffmusicfestival.com. | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/education/five-flagstaff-student-musicians-awarded-haven-walker-scholarship/article_17a94cce-e513-11ed-83e7-27954548da75.html | 2023-05-06T15:35:40 | 1 | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/education/five-flagstaff-student-musicians-awarded-haven-walker-scholarship/article_17a94cce-e513-11ed-83e7-27954548da75.html |
NAZ Elite took a bit of a break from racing recently, but now "the thoroughbreds are back this weekend.”
“It’s a lot of people to race on one weekend, for sure," NAZ Elite Executive Director Ben Rosario said Thursday.
The races on the weekend docket are not on the Kentucky Derby level, but are still important, as the team, which consists of 18 total runners on the roster, is sending seven athletes out to compete at three different events starting today.
The ON Track Fest in California opens the racing today. Krissy Gear is set to compete in the steeplechase, Olin Hacker and Abby Nichols will be in the 5,000-meter, and Alex Masai and Adrian Wildschutt are going to be toeing the start line of the 10,0000m. On Sunday, Wesley Kiptoo will be in Pittsburgh looking to defend a half-marathon title, and Matt Baxter will be racing in the Bloomsday 12K in Spokane, Washington, as he builds for his upcoming marathon.
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Kiptoo, who is now early into his sophomore year as a professional runner with NAZ Elite, won the Pittsburgh Half Marathon in 2022 while making his debut at the distance. With his winning time of 1:01:25, he had set a new team record before besting it with a 1:00:35 Houston performance in January.
Kiptoo, Rosario said, enjoys the distance and the race, and wants to go back to defend his title. The event and NAZ Elite were both more than happy to get him back into the field.
“His workouts have been great," Rosario said, "and I would just expect him to have a big-time performance again.”
The Pittsburgh field is similar to last year's, according to Rosario, with 2022 runner-up James Ngandu returning.
Seeking to become a marathoner in the near future, Kiptoo could use Pittsburgh, which will be the third half marathon of his career, to build toward that goal.
Baxter, a marathoner, also wants to use his race Sunday to build toward a 26.2-mile race. And NAZ Elite wants Baxter to get the confidence, experience and physiologic benefits from the racing.
“It’s a pretty famous race, so I think this will be good experience,” Rosario said.
Baxter ran the 2022 Chicago Half Marathon as part of his buildup for his marathon debut in New York City, where he finished 12th with a time of 2:17:05 in November. He ran up front by himself at Chicago, facing little competition on the way to getting the win.
The Bloomsday 12K -- which NAZ Elite hasn't had a runner in since 2017 when Scott Fauble claimed eighth place with a time of 35:41-- should provide Baxter more challenges.
“This time on the way to the marathon, we want him in something a little more competitive," Rosario said.
It will be Baxter's final race before he takes on his next marathon.
On the other hand, the track athletes have plenty of racing ahead of them after this weekend of competition at the Mt. SAC Hilmer Lodge Stadium.
"It’s a really nice stadium, a really nice venue, a great track, great surface, fast surface,” Rosario said.
He's hoping his athletes make the best of it -- and the atmosphere.
Sound Running, Rosario said, is hosting the event, which also is a festival with music, drinks and "all kinds of cool stuff."
While the track meet's atmosphere should be fun, NAZ Elite's athletes will be going to work.
Gear will be looking to get a national outdoor championship meet qualifying time in her event, while Nichols and Hacker are seeking 5000m qualifiers.
“Everything we are sending them to now is an opportunity to have a big day. I don’t think we are using this as a stepping stone," Rosario said. "I think it’s definitely a big part of our season. We have a number of big meets this season, and this is one of them."
Mike Hartman can be reached at 556-2255 or at mhartman@azdailysun.com. Follow him on Twitter @AZDS_Hartman. | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/naz-elite-this-week-team-sending-nearly-half-of-roster-out-to-race-this-weekend/article_b17f553c-eb9e-11ed-bfad-c71beda555c0.html | 2023-05-06T15:35:46 | 0 | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/naz-elite-this-week-team-sending-nearly-half-of-roster-out-to-race-this-weekend/article_b17f553c-eb9e-11ed-bfad-c71beda555c0.html |
Brian Gall remembers the first time he realized he wanted to work in aviation.
He was in junior high and paying a visit Luke Air Force Base. Listening to the thunder of planes overhead during an airshow, he decided he simply had to work with aircraft in his view.
When he entered college, Gall initially studied aerospace engineering, but he eventually decided the day-to-day work in that field wasn’t the best fit for him. He became a civil engineer instead and started working on the design and development of airports.
On Monday, he took over leadership of Flagstaff Pulliam Airport, but his history with the transportation hub stretches back a bit.
Gall’s experience of Flagstaff is intertwined with his work at the airport.
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He said he first developed a love for northern Arizona and the city situated under towering pines while he was consulting with the airport in 2017. He worked on improvements to the runway and the “westplex” where the private shades and hangers are located.
“For part of those projects I was up here for several months at a time, and that’s when I realized that Flagstaff was the community I wanted to live in,” Gall said.
He permanently moved to Flagstaff in 2018, but he didn’t start working at the airport immediately.
After a stint as an engineer for the Coconino and Kaibab national forests, Gall was hired on with the City of Flagstaff to review private development projects. Two years ago, an opening was listed for an airport programs manager and Gall jumped at the opportunity.
“I feel really invested in the airport and its community. I’ve really enjoyed working here. It’s been the most professionally rewarding place that I’ve worked in my career,” Gall said. “It’s hard to see myself working anywhere else.”
After working primarily on capital improvement and airport maintenance projects, he was tapped to take over when Barney Helmick retired.
Helmick had decades of aviation experience and is well-liked and respected as a leader in the city.
“Barney’s been great. We definitely miss him. Even today, I was noticing, it’s a little hard not to copy him on my emails all the time, but his emails are being forwarded to me, so I’d just be sending them back to myself anyway,” Gall said with a laugh.
Heidi Hansen, the economic vitality director for the City of Flagstaff, said the airport is in “good hands with Brian at the helm”
“He has a great work ethic, is incredibly analytical, customer focused and has an extensive knowledge of capital projects and process, as well as FAA and TSA requirements,” Hansen added.
The Flagstaff airport is going through a change in leadership against the backdrop of shifts in aviation and air travel overall.
Starting in 2009, federal regulators started requiring pilots to log at least 1,500 hours of flight time before they could be eligible to fly a commercial plane. Industry critics argued the rule was one of the catalysts of a nationwide pilot shortage — a shortage that was later exacerbated by the arrival of COVID-19.
“What we’ve seen is some changes to route structure. We’re seeing airlines that are flying routes that are not necessarily daily as much as they once did, maybe more several-times-of-week kind of service,” Gall said.
As airlines face staffing shortages and a challenging post-pandemic landscape, airports have also taken a hit, Gall said.
“Obviously, we lost United with a direct route to Denver this last summer — which is something we didn’t want to see,” he said. “We’re working really hard to position the airport well for what the air carriers are looking for in the future.”
To bring in more air service, Gall’s team will be presenting passenger studies — data to demonstrate demand for routes in and out of Flagstaff.
“We’re updating our air service passenger demand analysis, which is a study that shows the ultimate destination of passengers that are departing from Flagstaff, so that we can show that to our airline partners and say, ‘This is a destination you serve, and a lot of customers from Flagstaff are going there. That’s why we think we’d be a good fit for routes,’” Gall said.
This year’s passenger demand analysis will differ from reports of years past.
Gall said the airport has found a way to capture data related to vehicle trips.
“If someone can’t find a flight but they drive there, we can still capture that information to show that there is demand from this region to that region to make the case for additional air service,” he said.
Increasingly, Gall added, airlines are embracing larger planes. One of the ways the airport can work to attract new routes begins at the ground level by offering an airstrip that can accommodate the industry’s trends.
“When I first started working in the aviation industry, it wasn’t uncommon to see 19-seat passenger aircraft flying between some routes in some cities. That’s not really economically viable for the airlines anymore, so we’ve seen that jump to 35-seat aircraft, to 70-seat aircraft. Now it’s kind of moving into that 90- to 120-seat aircraft,” he said.
The tasks associated with upgrading and improving the airport facility sit firmly in Gall’s wheelhouse. He enters the directorship as a series of construction projects are getting underway.
Gall will oversee improvements to the airport’s existing terminal parking lot, the re-paving of the runway, and the construction of a new parking area and pay-to-park system. After those projects are complete, construction will begin on a new equipment shed to house the airport’s colossal snow removal equipment.
Many of the current projects are being paid for using funds from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
“The CARES funding was a very large injection of funds to get airports through that challenging time at the beginning of COVID when travel was very uncertain and a lot of our other revenue streams were not in place,” Gall said. “That’s not our only revenue source.”
The airport receives federal and state grant funding to put toward capital projects. It can now add revenue from passenger parking to that bucket. Gall is also hopeful that as more air service is added, the airport’s revenue streams will strengthen and help support the facility in growth and improvement.
“Generally, the airport has been moving toward being a more self-sustaining enterprise,” he said. “I think we’re well-positioned to take advantage of some of the opportunities we have moving forward, through some of those revenue sources to try to position ourselves well for that changing airport and air travel environment. It’s something that I really want to be a part of.” | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/ready-for-takeoff-flagstaff-s-new-airport-director/article_7e81aaca-eb5f-11ed-9212-aff1adeac43c.html | 2023-05-06T15:35:52 | 0 | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/ready-for-takeoff-flagstaff-s-new-airport-director/article_7e81aaca-eb5f-11ed-9212-aff1adeac43c.html |
The Flagstaff United Soccer Club (FSC) 14U team accomplished an historic feat last weekend.
The team, consisting of girls aged 13 and 14 from northern Arizona, won the Arizona State Cup -- the top independent club tournament in the state -- Saturday in Phoenix, besting teams from all over Arizona in the process.
Winning was special, but not only because it proved the talent of this group. It’s also the first team from Flagstaff to win the tournament.
“It’s just amazing that our small town can do something really big,” said Sayler Smith, a player on the team.
Even more impressive, with a smaller pool of talent than available in some of the state’s cities, the group is composed of both 13- and 14-year-olds, as opposed to just the latter.
“It was really crazy because we’re actually younger than some of the other girls,” player Mikayla Veale said. “When we won we’re all like, ‘Oh, my gosh, we actually did it,’ and I just laid on the ground because I was exhausted.”
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The tournament came after a long season that started in the fall. The group had obvious skill, but it wasn’t meshing well at first. Chad Schlenker, who coaches alongside Isaiah Veale, was unsure what to expect. League play was tough, and FSC finished just fifth in the standings.
However, after a few disappointments early, FSC started to roll late.
“I would say the turning point might have been after the break in December. They came back and they were in rough shape, and, oddly enough, it was probably the worst play that they had,” Schlenker said. “But they got back on the field and the bonding started to show. And they kept getting better, and that’s when I saw it.”
Matches that were once difficult losses turned into draws, then wins. Even still, the State Cup tournament didn’t start well.
FSC lost to FC Arizona, 1-0, in pool play on April 15. On April 21, it tied NFSC East Valley 1-1, but due to goal differential in pool play, FCS had done just enough to make it into the four-team bracket.
Maybe Schlenker saw the potential, but the girls were still unsure, having not even won a match in the tournament yet.
However, FSC beat Arizona Surf Phoenix 3-2 in the semifinal.
“Our semifinal game was against a really rough team, and we beat them,” Smith said. “When we won that game I was really happy.”
Then the girls won a difficult battle, 1-0, over Madison FC, out of Phoenix, for the title.
The reward is a trip to the Far West Regional in Boise in June. More success would mean FSC would earn a trip to the national tournament set to take place later in the summer.
Before the season, and even before the recent tournament, FSC players didn’t know what to expect. Now they’re champions.
“It shows other teams what we can do,” player Elise Welker said.
The team is comprised of: Jadyn Jamison; Chloe Schaefer; Savanna Mckerracher; Brooke Dias; Aspen Peterson; Bryleigh Adams; Kylyn Taylor; Morgan Maloney; Sloane Sahl; Mikayla Veals; Emma Calnimptewa; Elly Martinez; Hanna Mckerracher; Della Calnimptewa; Elise Welker; Madison Kolka; Sayler Smith; Kylie Cook; Jada Morrison and Elise Randall. | https://azdailysun.com/sports/local/local-youth-club-soccer-team-sees-unprecedented-success/article_7f304bee-eb72-11ed-a313-9b4aa92e4823.html | 2023-05-06T15:35:59 | 1 | https://azdailysun.com/sports/local/local-youth-club-soccer-team-sees-unprecedented-success/article_7f304bee-eb72-11ed-a313-9b4aa92e4823.html |
Originally published April 27 on IdahoEdNews.org.
For Zions Bank, elementary school is not too early to begin teaching children fiscal responsibility. In fact, it might be the perfect time.
Originally published April 27 on IdahoEdNews.org.
For Zions Bank, elementary school is not too early to begin teaching children fiscal responsibility. In fact, it might be the perfect time.
Since its founding 150 years ago, Zions Bank has encouraged people young and old to sock away savings money. An 1893 bank ad declared that “minor children have the right to deposit money in their own name and payable only to their own order.”
This attitude continues into the 21st Century for Zions. This past Thursday, Boise branch manager Ken Spencer and corporate banking analyst Taylor Anderson were at Washington Elementary school to conduct a hands-on presentation on the importance of saving money to Ms. Jenna Smith’s fifth grade class.
During a time when the U.S. personal savings rate has plummeted from a peak of 33.8% to 4.6% in February (per the Federal Reserve), Zions Bank is trying to shape a more frugal attitude toward money for students in Utah, Wyoming, and Idaho. Fortunately, it seems like a lot of these students have learned previous lessons from parents.
“Kids are already so smart about finances,” Spencer said. “We do these presentations expecting to introduce kids to banking, and they’re asking us about 401k contributions and checking accounts.”
According to a University of Kansas study, “children are developmentally capable of saving by age five or six.” This is evident in the deep, philosophical discussions taking place over student desks in Ms. Smith’s classroom, spurred on by Anderson and Spencer’s prompts that force them to make difficult decisions between money and play. Would they, for example, rather earn $30 dog-sitting or spend the day with friends at a lake?
“I would just bring the dog with me to the lake house,” one student tells his peers.
As Spencer said, these are sharp kids.
Presenters not only offer hypothetical questions, but ask what things students might save money for and and what sunny and rainy day reasons might exist to preserve cash in a bank account. In order to reinforce this lesson on April 27’s National Teach Children to Save Money day, Zions Bank forks over $1.50 to each student in the form of a fresh dollar bill and a John F. Kennedy 50-cent coin at the end of the exercise.
“I’m going to save it,” one student said.
“We both have Greenlights,” her friend chimes in, referring to the parent-controlled app and debit account for young adults.
This initial deposit in their future also marks a symbolic nod to Zions’ 150-year anniversary after being founded in Salt Lake City in 1873. Times may have changed a great deal since then, but the need to build finances to ensure a positive future has not.
“Helping children develop healthy financial habits will empower them to become responsible adults,” Zions Bank Western Idaho region president Deneen May asserted in a press release.
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A receipt was sent to your email. | https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/bank-teaches-boise-elementary-kids-how-to-save-money/article_e596357e-e875-11ed-8e4f-57fa0e620409.html | 2023-05-06T15:40:01 | 0 | https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/bank-teaches-boise-elementary-kids-how-to-save-money/article_e596357e-e875-11ed-8e4f-57fa0e620409.html |
18th Dick Vitale Gala raises record $12.4 million for V Foundation for Cancer Research
The record amount includes a $2 million donation from Mark and Cindy Pentecost; it brings the total raised at the 18 galas to nearly $67 million, all going to the V Foundation for Cancer Research
SARASOTA - At least John McEnroe was polite about it.
“Can I ask your wife a question, Dick?” the winner of seven Grand Slam singles titles and current ESPN tennis commentator said Friday during the press conference prior to the 18th Annual Dick Vitale Gala at the Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota.
Lorraine Vitale sat perhaps 20 feet from McEnroe. “Does (Dick) talk while he sleeps?” he asked, Vitale seated two seats down from McEnroe at the head dais.
“Lucky for me,” Lorraine Vitale replied, “I get eight hours of rest.”
But with the final tally of money raised now official, Dickie V just might start uttering a few words while counting sheep.
“Awesome, baby!” would be first. The 83-year-old ESPN college basketball analyst and Lakewood Ranch resident expressed confidence last year’s record total of $11.1 million raised for pediatric cancer research would be topped at Friday’s event.
But not even Vitale could have imagined a haul of $12.4 million, which pushes the amount raised at the 18 galas to nearly $67 million. All of it goes to fighting cancer in children through the V Foundation for Cancer Research.
$2 million donation from Mark and Cindy Pentecost
The total includes a $2 million donation from Mark and Cindy Pentecost. The former is the founder of It Works!, a billion-dollar global company which sells health and wellness products through direct sales, who donated $4 million at two previous galas.
“A magical night, $12.4 million, my National Championship!” Vitale tweeted after learning the final total. The night’s honorees, ESPN tennis analysts John and Patrick McEnroe, Hall of Fame center David Robinson, and former San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey, all were anticipating Vitale’s passionate performance inside one of the Ritz’s ballrooms.
“I’m looking forward to seeing it on display tonight,” said Posey, who teamed with Vitale in 2016 to raise awareness in San Francisco for pediatric cancer research. That same year, Posey and his wife, Kristen, launched the BP28 Foundation, which raises money for research and treatment. A partner with the V Foundation for Cancer Research, the foundation has raised more than $5.5 million.
“It’s inspiring what he does,” Posey said. “How can you not be inspired by it, especially with some of his health struggles he’s had.
“Every time you hear him talk, you hear the emotion in his voice, and I’m kind of the same way. All it takes is for me to start thinking of my own kids.”
The Gala observed the 40-year anniversary of Jim Valvano’s victory as coach of N.C. State over the favored Houston Cougars for the NCAA championship. It also observed the 30-year anniversary of the forming of the V Foundation, not long after the death of Valvano at age 47.
Shooting perhaps the most famous air ball in the history of NCAA title games, as well as becoming one of the original V Foundation board members, Dereck Whittenburg was asked what Valvano might say about the work of Vitale, his good friend.
Since 1993, V Foundation has raised more than $310 million
“He would be ecstatic that Dick has bought in from day one with the V Foundation,” he said. “And it just shows you the love they had for each other. Who would have thought that in 30 years, we’d be making this kind of impact?” Since its inception in 1993, the V Foundation has raised more than $310 million.
After Valvano’s death, ESPN was the central force in forming the V Foundation. “As we started this thing,” Whittenburg said, “Dick raised his hand and said, ‘I’m in.’ Not just was he in. He was all the way in.”
“Maybe I’m wrong,” Vitale said, “but I don’t think we have the V Foundation if (N.C. State) doesn’t win that game. I really don’t.”
Then, turning to Whittenburg, Vitale said, “Dereck, don’t you agree?”
“Whatever you say,” Whittenburg said, “I agree with.”
“His speech (at the 1993 ESPYs),” Vitale said, “combined with that title moment (of Valvano running around the court following the Wolf Pack’s title victory), I think got ESPN to do what they did and start the V Foundation.”
Looking at the 18 cancer survivors on his “All-Courageous Team” sitting in front, Vitale said, “I’m more obsessed, probably now more than ever, to raise money, because I know what you’ve gone through.”
Tennessee men’s basketball coach Rick Barnes was presented The Dick Vitale Spirit Award. Every day last year, for five months, as Vitale battled health issues, Barnes sent him a daily prayer via text. “Encouraging and inspiring me,” Vitale said, “and many of those times it was when I was down, laying in a hospital. It gave me a lift.”
'In my world, he is the face of college basketball'
Said Barnes, “In my world, he is the face of college basketball.”
Among the night’s honorees, Robinson perhaps was touched closest by cancer. He lost his mother last year to breast cancer.
“It’s so ubiquitous,” the 57-year-old said, “it seems like something we should be able to get our arms wrapped around, and we just can’t seem to do it.
“But I see the work Dick is doing with cancer. And when you face it, you never want to face it alone. And, so, Dick makes sure people are not alone.”
V Foundation CEO Shane Jacobson said that since the origination of the V Foundation, a 32-percent improvement in cancer survivorship has been seen.
Jacobson looked at Vitale, then the cancer survivors in front.
“I said this last year, and I’m going to say it again,” he said. “Dick works 24/7/365 for you. What he’s done is incredible.” Jacobson turned back to Vitale.
“The V Foundation is indebted to you for your leadership and generosity and the way you are saving lives each and every day.”
And giving Lorraine eight hours rest each and every night. | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/sports/local/2023/05/06/18th-annual-dick-vitale-gala-raises-record-12-4-million-to-benefit-v-foundation-for-cancer-research/70168124007/ | 2023-05-06T15:43:25 | 1 | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/sports/local/2023/05/06/18th-annual-dick-vitale-gala-raises-record-12-4-million-to-benefit-v-foundation-for-cancer-research/70168124007/ |
DALLAS — Dallas police said a man was shot and injured by officers outside of a restaurant early Saturday morning.
According to the department, police were responding to a call at 3:11 a.m. about an "armed encounter on foot." When officers arrived to Williams Chicken on R. B. Cullum Boulevard, they say they found a man with a gun.
Officers told the man repeatedly to drop the gun, police said. According to them, the man refused and shot the gun into the air before running towards an occupied vehicle at a stoplight. Police say that was when officers shot at the man.
Police provided first aid for the man until he was taken to a hospital. According to officers, his injuries are not life-threatening.
The officers involved were not injured.
No other information is available.
Other local news: | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-shooting-williams-chicken-robert-b-cullum-blvd-friday-saturday-may-5-6-2023/287-2daff080-b7a8-4fa9-bd5d-6b2be851d537 | 2023-05-06T15:46:14 | 0 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-shooting-williams-chicken-robert-b-cullum-blvd-friday-saturday-may-5-6-2023/287-2daff080-b7a8-4fa9-bd5d-6b2be851d537 |
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — If you live in Portland, you’re already in one of the best travel destinations in the U.S., according to a list from Forbes magazine.
Earlier this spring, the business magazine asked travel experts and influencers to name their favorite places to visit in the nation. This resulted in a roundup that includes popular ski towns like Vail, Colo., ‘southern escapes’ like Savannah, Ga., and the Pacific Northwest’s very own City of Roses.
Kay Kingsman of The Awkward Traveller is the writer and blogger who deemed the city as a must-visit. Hailing from Southern California and currently based in Portland, Kingsman said her top-choice travel destination “is reemerging in 2023 with unprecedented growth in the food and beverage scene, both in quality and variety.”
The travel writer included Portland’s title as America’s reigning foodie city, and highlighted how many of the food businesses are owned by BIPOC and LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs.
More specifically, Kingsman recommended Matutitna and Masala Lab for breakfast bites, Thai spot Nong’s Khao Man Gai and soul-food-serving Heavy Plays for lunch, and James-Beard finalists Kann and República for dinner.
Kingsman additionally named some of her favorite local food carts including Erica’s Soul Food, Kim Jong Grillin and Speed-o Cappuccino.
As far as the travel writer’s non-food-related recommendations go, she says scheduling a workout at yoga studio Flow in the City and participating in the Deadstock Run Club are two ways visitors can stay active in the Rose City.
“You can also go at your own pace with a stroll through the Portland Japanese Garden, which added a new tea cafe, or explore the city on an urban hike and pop into a few locally owned small businesses for a little souvenir shopping — sales tax free,” she added.
In Forbes’ 2022 roundup, Central Oregon and Walla Walla, Wash., were featured among the best travel destinations in the U.S. | https://www.koin.com/local/find-out-why-forbes-selected-portland-as-one-of-the-countrys-top-travel-spots/ | 2023-05-06T15:57:38 | 0 | https://www.koin.com/local/find-out-why-forbes-selected-portland-as-one-of-the-countrys-top-travel-spots/ |
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